recording with a click track on D3200 ??

[peedenmark7]

Hi guys,

I purchased a D3200 about a year and a half ago.
Did some demo work on it in preparation for a studio project which is now done.

My issue is that on my first demo , some things came out really nice, actually better than the studio, and as such I'd like to be able to pull certain tracks or what have you from the D3200 as the need arises.

The issue i had with my first demo is that I had no click track to play to while recording, and as good as I may think my meter is, there were times where my drummer would jam along with my Demo CD and say wow you needed a click track.

So Ive read the manual and dont really see a clear way to simply hit a click track with an established BPM to record along with.
The manual reads like a flight manual, just confusing for someone who does not know modern jargon.
[I'm old an school tape guy]

How do I set this up ? so that should I decide to dump certain files to the studios work station, that I can do so without them telling me they have no point of reference to do so?

Can someone please walk me through this with kids gloves ?

thanks,
J

[voip]

Not sure about being able to give a kid gloves approach but, from the user manual there is this, relating to the Session Drums tab, and seems straightforward enough, on the face of it:

======

The Song Guide function:
Even without creating a song map beforehand, you can make a drum pattern play from the monitor outputs while you record, so that the drum pattern will function as a metronome for your performance.

In the “SessionDr.” tab page, turn the Click Monitor button on (highlighted), and a drum pattern will play according to the pattern and tempo settings of the currently displayed “SessionDr.” tab page. The tempo map settings are ignored at this time. This is called the Song Guide function. Drum patterns will not be recorded on the pattern track when you’re using this function.

======

[peedenmark7]

What I want to be able to do is have an actual click track present on the recording. This mainly for the others to play along with a correct BPM not drifting.
So in the event that I want to use parts of my demo in the actual studio recording, there is a point on which the studio can pull from my harddrive on the 3200

On my last demo I was unable to use much but special vocal effects , laughing etc. as there was no wave point , if thats proper terminology for my studio guy to sync things up with his tracking. With a click track he can do that.

So if the d3200 isnt capable of something that simple which I find crazy on this type of hardware, I guess all I can do is buy a digital metronome and give it a track of its own that I can either mix out or leave in for the rest of the band to learn the tracks or sync to the studio should I prefer the way my track sounds.

Another thing is that I got so used to playing along with the demo,that I was actually fighting with the click track in the studio as I was so used to the BPM speeding up and slowing down without the click track.

Does that make sense ?

[Spheric El]

Sometimes the problem with modern music is its too afraid to go off grid and groove to the pace of its own beat. I love electronic music, but computers can dictate control too much and I miss the flow of,say,1920s acoustic blues or jazz.
Also playing to a mundane, monotonous click can be uninspiring and as you've discovered -off putting. It's a skill learnt for sure, but it's like auto tune used so excessively that people forget how to sing around the note. Or even make songs without it.
So, would maybe you not be able to dictate and lead an acoustic style that forces any engineer or producer to get with the off grid flow of some of your demo's? Like maybe sample your drummer and then blend that over your track?
Don't know your style of music, just a suggestion for some of your tracks.
Then use your metronome idea for other tracks to keep everyone else happy. You can get metronomes easily. Free apps on your phone. Some guitar tuners have tempo clicks on them. Or record the drum track off your multi track.
Thinking out loud here, just seems a shame to waste the demo vibes that you create.

Maybe what I'm saying here isn't so helpful directly to you,but I can relate to your problem. Difficult if studio time is pushed. I'm possible ranting here :/

[peedenmark7]

I recorded extensively back in the 80s, early 90s, some studios required a click track to get the drums and bass down, then track everything after according to that, and some made you click it all.


Others allowed the band to simply play live , which I vastly prefer, this because so much is lost trying to cop the feel & groove of what you are used to doing live.

Today it is all about "time". You won't get airplay and you certainly won't be able to license your work without everything being sync'd and with all the B.S. nonsense the digital world has brought on. The studio I just got out of does everything to the click , I'd surmise for digital editing.

I had not been in the studio in 25 years, and just finished up a 10 song cd, which has been a 22 month process, this due to conflicting schedules , member departures and in the end not being able to book studio dates all in a row.

That said, I played every instrument save for drums on the demo , which was quite liberating, but did not use a metronome or click track as I could not work it through on the D3200.
There was 14 months between demo and actual studio, so as one can imagine , you practice to something that moves tempo wise , and when you get into the studio, you bring those bad habits with you.

So as I begin writing/demo the new material this month, I want to eliminate anything that creates havoc for the drummer to work with, and also as there will be a click track of some kind, should I decide to pull from the 3200's harddrive rather than scratch record every track, I can do so.

I get where you are coming from, but all things considered and as much as I detest it, I have no choice.

One would think there would be a simple click track built into this unit, but as with everything on it, you need to read the rosetta stone in order to use it.

[Mamountune]

What I've done is to use the metronome setting on my guitar (Korg) tuner, record that on a track, and use that as the click tarack.

[davekalbach]

One would think there would be a simple click track built into this unit, but as with everything on it, you need to read the rosetta stone in order to use it.

This can be done fairly easily.

I'm not in front of my recorder now - but I can walk you through it if this doesn't help

Check out Page 133 of the D32/16 Manual (should have the same features as your D3200)

You'll select a Tempo Track, set it to CH Input, and then simply record the channel you Input when you make your Master. This will give you a click track over your recording.