do you use click track for solo piano?

[jimmymio]

I'm writing something to submit for the "SAD, HEARTWRENCHING, SOLO PIANO INSTRUMENTALS" listing. I always try to record to a click for obvious reasons but for a piece like this, it's really constraining. Not sure how to deal with ritards and fermatas etc. and I'm considering just scratching the click altogether.
Just wondering how others handle this.

[kclements]

Hello Jimmy -

If it is just a solo piano track, and I won't be adding any loops, I always record without a click. Especially if it is for an emotional kind of feel.

Even if it is a, say, piano and guitar, and you are tracking at the same time - I wouldn't use a click track. i use a click when I have to keep a steady tempo to match drum loops, or make it easier to add other parts later, or sending on to another player... but I wouldn't for solo piano.


cheers -
kc

[jimmymio]

Right. I guess I was thinking about the possibility of adding something at a later date but I'm afraid it would detract from the spontaneity of the piano performance. I think I'll just go without it and if necessary write a tempo track at a later date. But that is drudgery.

[kclements]

Right. I guess I was thinking about the possibility of adding something at a later date but I'm afraid it would detract from the spontaneity of the piano performance. I think I'll just go without it and if necessary write a tempo track at a later date. But that is drudgery.

Yes, tempo mapping is a pain. The other thing you could do is set the tempo, and use a metronome and not the click track. That way, you are kind of in time with your DAW, but you still have some flexibility. Or do two versions; one without the click and get all the feeling and give and take, then do one with the click, in case you do want to add stuff later.

cheers -
kc

[jimmymio]

I'm a bit confused. Do you mean use the metronome within the DAW or use an external one? Either way, It still messes me up when I play.

[Len911]

Is it a live mic'd piano or midi? If it's midi, you could just record the midi using any time signature and tempo if the time signature should have been different it might look a little bizarre, but you wouldn't have to necessarily clean it up, but it would give you a framework to input other midi instruments or for that matter audio loops. The audio loops would need adjusting through your daw, but I would use your preferred notation software to input other midi instruments, or live midi play them along with the piano midi on a different staff.

If you aren't publishing a piece of music a player has to read, what difference does it matter if it's not "proper" notation??
If you setup a C major key signature for example and played in a different key there would be sharps or flats on the individual notes
in the various measures, so? If the tempo was set at 200 and you played real time @ 100, there would just be less notes per measure.

hth!

[kclements]

I'm a bit confused. Do you mean use the metronome within the DAW or use an external one? Either way, It still messes me up when I play.

I was talking of using an external metronome. I find it easier to ignore. With some practice, I bet you could get used to slowing down and ignore the metronome, and then start back up again. The click/metronome in the DAW is different somehow. I guess I have programmed myself to really pay attention to the DAW click, but be ok with tuning out the Metronome that sits on the piano.

Maybe the best way is just to record two versions in the same project? One with the click and one without. Then you simple mute which ever track has the one you don't want.

cheers -
kc