Truth is – much of the commercial music recorded today is of the click, by the click, for the click. Does that fact make it inferior to previous “pop” music that were performed without a click?

That’s the implication of Revisiting The Click Track with a few graphics that show tempo deviation over time in popular music tracks. In the post they stack a Britney Spears track up against the Police.

Is the Police track a better song because it was performed live and had a fluid and dynamic tempo?

Sometimes – yes. Other times – machine like tempo IS part of the music.

For me – the key is not in creating another dogmatic ISM – CLICK IS EVIL / CLICK IS GOD. That’s useless to me. The key is knowing WHY you are using a click, what it’s going to do to the music – assess if that is actually something you want in the music.

A lot of music is recorded piece by piece – remotely. In those cases locking down a tempo map is helpful in getting separately recorded parts to match up. But again – I have to point out. What is the music’s intention?

If you’re playing the kind of music that is typically associated with live performance – and you’re locking it down to 110.5 bpm from beginning to end – it’s going to FEEL stiff particularly if you have NO instrument floating around the rigid tempo map to distract the listener from lock-step tempo. Much of Pop music is excellent at avoiding this while still kneeling at the alter of powerful rhythm.

That said – depending on the KIND of music we’re recording – the click doesn’t have to sit at a single value the entire composition. In every Digital Audio Workstation many composers are drawing fluid and dynamic tempos values into their click tracks to capture a more “live” feel. Or – basing their tempo maps off of freely recorded material. Making the machine – in essence – conform to the musician’s performance.

This certainly takes more time, planning and skill – but the results are far more effective in selling the “musicians are playing this” vibe.

On my album Outre for example – there’s lots of… well, let’s be kind and call it “rubato”. Lots of speed up and slow down. Lots of tacking an extra beat or 2 at the end of phrases – to subtracting a beat here or there. Or as it may appear to the casual listener – no click track.

I’ve heard other solo bass / solo instrumental recordings that most certainly used a click. Sometimes it totally worked (particularly if the piece is based on it’s steady rhythmic power) and other times it felt confined and stiff.

Which is better? I would have hated Outre with a click track. It wouldn’t feel right. To me. That was my aesthetic choice. And I’ll say the choice was not based on any variation of the question – will using a click make me sound like a better musician?

Click/no click is a decision for me – not a rule. It’s about feel.

Sometimes using a click gives a piece the feel it needs – other times it locks it in – confines it – makes it rigid and stiff. Let it also be said that playing to a click is a skill – one that has to be developed. Playing with feel over a click is possible and lots of people are doing it.

Almost everything I’ve done since Outre has been based on a click or a tempo map. If I return to solo material I will base my click/no click decision on the nature of the music.

I consider using ANY kind of rythmic guide as no different than “using a click”.

That means my solo piece Satori with it’s looped percussion parts is being played to click. Using delays to set a rhythmic value or tempo is using a click.  Recording loops that have a 1 –  is using a click.

Again thee’s nothing wrong with playing to a click. And that’s my point – most music today is played to some sort of rigid rythmic framework.

We might not have called it a click in the past – but it’s functionally the same.

Click or no click? Let the music answer the question.

I already have a regular profile that I never promoted or even really use that much. But a lot of bass payers have found that profile and “friended” me. Thanks.

To date I’ve accepted pretty much every bassist/musician as a friend.

But my profile timeline is kind of a shit show now – filed with stuff from people that I don’t even know. No offense.

If you’ve friended me on Facebook – please LIKE the Jeff Schmidt Bassist Page – that’s where I’ll be posting about my music work.

You can still be my friend on my regular profile – but I’ll be restricting my personal posts to only people I’ve met and have had conversations with. I know. Total douche.

You don’t REALLY want to read me bitching about work – do you? Exactly.

Hit LIKE on my Band Profile please

thanks

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I believe I can be forgiven though – as I’ve never attempted to play that song. Wedding bands the world over have probably been driven to commit heinous crimes trying to figure out that one chord.

Anyway – here’s a video (it’s only audio) where the chord’s exact structure is discovered from the original master tapes and then reproduced. Yeah!

George: 12 string – F chord w/ G on top and Bottom and an extra C next to low G

Paul: Bass – D

John: D sus 4

Can anyone EVER play that chord voicing and NOT be copying The Beatles?

fraid not. I wonder if anyone has used that voicing in any other popular music recording that wasn’t a cover version.

Clever kidz them Beatles.

According to this Boston Herald article (and who would know better about emerging diy trends than a fucking newspaper) some band in boston decided to release on home labeled, recorded cassette because they wanted something physical to sell at gigs.

“In an age when nearly every song can be streamed or stolen online, a physical release has an increased heft to it.

Buying something lovingly homemade is a commitment, a compact between band and listener that goes beyond “Thanks for the show, maybe I’ll check you out online.”

I totally get that. I feel that way also. It’s why I made a special home-made release of The Jesus Fist Tapes to sell at gigs. The packaging alone helped it sell out (there’s only 3 left on CD Baby)

Even funnier was an interview I gave as “Ruiner Severhead” where I, er, Ruiner said he wanted to release “The Tapes” on cassette so people were forced to listen to the whole thing from beginning to end.

A joke.

But now . . . .

The soundtrack to the first film had a terrific vibe and inventive instrumentation. The second film is coming out soon and so will it’s soundtrack.

I just caught this video about the making of the soundtrack for the second Holmes film. I found it inspiring enough to share.

PART 1

PART 2

Like the first – I’ll likely ignore the film (at least till it hits cable or netflix) but I rarely fail to find inspiration in a Hans Zimmer score.

For me, Zimmer’s genius is in his orchestration. He often writes a fairly simple leitmotif – but takes it to a place totally “zimmer-esque” with his orchestration and instrumentation. He’s a master at blending instruments and sounds you’d never think could fit together.

For the tech minded – each guy is running his own Ableton Live rig with FCB1010 Foot controller and Korg nanoKontrollers. Their machines are all sync’d up – so they loop their own instruments – process the loops and improv while staying in sync with each other. Clever.

I don’t really get jazzed by DJs firing off clips in Ableton Live – but these guys clear the hurdle for me because they’re creating and re-purposing a lot of their musical material live on the spot. Plus – the cats can clearly play.

I attended a masterclass given by the Cellist in this group tonight (Cosmo D) – he played solo with his Ableton Live Rig. Kinda like this – but instead of pretty graphics his Ableton Live set was on a huge screen for all to see. It was inspiring.

hope a little inspiration rubs off on you too.

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most “state of the music industry” rants bore me. this bit by henry rollins also falls into cliche (mtv sucks… auto-tune sucks)

But he had one train of thought that made me laugh and smile in agreement. starts about 1:40

un-loved corporate music. nuff said.

Yup – every indie musicians nightmare – yet another box of UNSOLD CDs.

I swear these things hump like rabbits. Oh well – I guess Outre isn’t “sold out” or “out of print” anymore.

These are going up on CD Baby ASAP. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffschmidt

Yes – even though I’ve stated dozens of times how much I HATE going to the post office – I’m doing it. For you.

They make great stocking stuffers! Grab a few! 20% off if you buy more than 1.

Should be up on CD Baby in a week or so.

Spread the word please. Thanks!

ps – yes – this is the NEW Beautiful Bass blog. If you’ve already subscribed to the old blog – I’ve updated the feed and you should be getting the new posts as usual.

If you’re new – please update your reader – or whatever with this new blog http://www.beautiful-bass.com/blog

I’m leaving the old one online till the server burns out. It can still be found at http://www.beautiful-bass.com/weblog

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