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Old 03-05-2009, 02:33 PM   #1
Lazz
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Default Knowing what BPM a track is at?

How do I know what a guitar tracks BPM is so I know what to match ezdrummer to?
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Old 03-05-2009, 02:49 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by Lazz View Post
How do I know what a guitar tracks BPM is so I know what to match ezdrummer to?
??? A guitar track you freely recorded (to no drums or metronome)???

If that's the case, re-record the track to a "stock" beat or turn on the metronome and play along. Otherwise you will have to figure out the BPM to match the track. Could be a daunting task even if you have perfect timing.

To do that you can mouse click in time with the beat on the BPM under the track window and it will auto set to the mouse click repetition rate. Pretty cool but I've had minimal success with this however.
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Old 03-05-2009, 03:31 PM   #3
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There are a couple of other things you could try.

See post #5 on this thread.

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.p...=bpm+detection


Or if you want to map a song where the tempo might vary a bit, see this thread.

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.p...ght=tempo+live

Pete
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Old 03-06-2009, 05:52 AM   #4
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Might also add....it is a good idea to ALWAYS use some sort of click track to record along with. I didn't know this until about a year after I started to waste all of my spare time on all of this stuff.: Using a click track will open the door for using midi (ez drummer, vsti's, soundfonts, etc.) which lines up based on BPM. That was a great discovery.

I'm no pro but, FWIW, my first step in creating a new project is to create a midi track with a closed HH as a click. All other midi can then line right up...

cliff
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Old 03-06-2009, 09:47 AM   #5
Lazz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shemp View Post
??? A guitar track you freely recorded (to no drums or metronome)???

If that's the case, re-record the track to a "stock" beat or turn on the metronome and play along. Otherwise you will have to figure out the BPM to match the track. Could be a daunting task even if you have perfect timing.

To do that you can mouse click in time with the beat on the BPM under the track window and it will auto set to the mouse click repetition rate. Pretty cool but I've had minimal success with this however.
Yes, this is exactly what Im saying. I would like to use this practice of using the metronome all the time but like I said the problem is, is that I dont know what the timing is? I need to know how I figure this out with the metronome?
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Old 03-06-2009, 10:00 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazz View Post
Yes, this is exactly what Im saying. I would like to use this practice of using the metronome all the time but like I said the problem is, is that I dont know what the timing is? I need to know how I figure this out with the metronome?
Quote:
Originally Posted by shemp View Post
To do that you can mouse click in time with the beat on the BPM under the track window and it will auto set to the mouse click repetition rate. Pretty cool but I've had minimal success with this however.
.... just try it.

EDIT: It is called tap tempo. Basically you'd record your guitar part, then while you play it back you hit the BPM button in REAPER in rhythm with the guitar part. Then the little figure next to the BPM button will show you the BPM you just tapped.

Last edited by LOSER; 03-06-2009 at 10:03 AM.
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Old 03-06-2009, 10:02 AM   #7
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you can tap your tempo with your mouse hovering over "BPM" in the transport bar before you start recording anything.
or use this handy little utility that essentially does the same thing using the space bar.- http://www.analogx.com/CONTENTS/down...o/taptempo.htm

edit: typed during LOSER's reply
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Old 03-06-2009, 10:20 AM   #8
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Keep in mind that the built-in tap tempo finder rounds you to the nearest whole number, so if you're trying to sync to a reverb or something, you'll have to use an external plugin. It wasn't always this way, but a couple folks requested it and the option was not made configurable like every other Reaper behavior....


That said, I use Sonic Assault Tap! 1.2 for its precision. I've also used that AnalogX program thatbastarddon mentioned to great effect.
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Old 03-06-2009, 11:37 AM   #9
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Ok Ive tried both ways an Im finding it just about impossible! I guess Ill just keep trying although Ive been driving myself crazy for the last few hours with this. Maybe Im doing something wrong or Im just an idiot...or both!
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Old 03-06-2009, 01:59 PM   #10
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Am I right in thinking you're trying to sync to a track that's already recorded?

If so, try this. (It’s a bit long winded but it’s a pretty accurate method and the one I prefer to use).

1) Under File/Project settings, make sure the 'Timebase for events...' is set to 'Time'.
2) Under Options take the tick out of the box called 'Enable Snapping'
3) Play the track and hit the M key on the 1st beat of a bar and the 1st beat of the next bar. This will place two markers.
4) Expand the track so you can see the waveform between the markers clearly. If you want more accuracy, drag the markers slightly to precisely align them with peaks in the waveform that correspond to the beginning of the bar. Of course this will only work if have a sound on the 1st beat of each bar.
5) Left click drag (not on the waveform) to make a time selection that spans exactly between the two markers, as close as you can get it.
6) Right click and select one of the of the following options
(a) Set project tempo from time selection...
or (b) Create measure from time selection (detect tempo).

See picture below:-




Option (a) will set the global tempo for the whole song
Option (b) will allow you to set a tempo for each bar. If the tempo is varying slightly you could repeat this process throughout the whole song if you've got enough patience. Although there's a more elegant method of doing this as explained at a link in my earlier post.

The example is shemp's Snake_Charmer track, which I worked out to be 90 bpm using this method, so he can tell me if I got it right (or otherwise).

Pete

Last edited by stratman; 03-06-2009 at 02:07 PM. Reason: picture too big
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Old 03-06-2009, 02:28 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazz View Post
Ok Ive tried both ways an Im finding it just about impossible! I guess Ill just keep trying although Ive been driving myself crazy for the last few hours with this. Maybe Im doing something wrong or Im just an idiot...or both!
It's possible but like I said, a daunting task Also like I and others said, record to a click track or something pre-programmed. Especially if you are just starting. Re-record it. You will be thankful later!

I can't see the image (because most image sites are blocked at my job..) but yes stratman, 90BPM (that was set at the start of the project... and I tried my best to play along )
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Old 03-06-2009, 03:48 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shemp View Post
It's possible but like I said, a daunting task Also like I and others said, record to a click track or something pre-programmed. Especially if you are just starting. Re-record it. You will be thankful later!

I can't see the image (because most image sites are blocked at my job..) but yes stratman, 90BPM (that was set at the start of the project... and I tried my best to play along )
I absolutely agree. After more frustration I gave up and tried re-recording it to a click but I just cant seem to find the timing...maybe its just all out of timing so finding one is going to be impossible. I then decided to do a few tracks of guitar to a predetermined click...wrote some bs riffs around a click and everything worked beautifully. Im about to just can the hole project cause I just cant seem to get the timing of it. Which makes me think, how the hell am I going to record anything I write or have written if I cant get it to go to a click??? Im so frustrated right now...

Oh and thanks for all the continued help guys, this forum is really great!
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Old 03-06-2009, 04:22 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stratman View Post

If so, try this. (It’s a bit long winded but it’s a pretty accurate method and the one I prefer to use).

That's the one I use.

Pete said it's a bit long winded, but it takes longer to explain than it does to do. Once you have tried it a couple of times the whole thing takes only about six seconds to do

Extra tip: if you do this you can select the area between the two markers with a double click on the time line (no need to drag)
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Last edited by Tedwood; 03-06-2009 at 04:27 PM.
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Old 03-06-2009, 05:07 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tedwood View Post
Extra tip: if you do this you can select the area between the two markers with a double click on the time line (no need to drag)
Great, I've learned something. I didn't know about the double click option . How did I miss that?

I've still got loads of blind spots when it comes to using Reaper.

Pete
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