Live performance with click track - suggestions?

[Barend Onneweer]

Hi all,

We're currently rehearsing to take studio originated material to the live stage. I'm the keyboard player and my entire setup is based around a receptor - which works great thus far.

Now there's one or two songs that I'll probably have to use an arpeggiator throughout the entire song for a pulsating bassline.

I think it would be a good idea to feed the drummer with a click for those songs.

I can think of two options:

1) a hardware metronome/click generator with midi-output so I can sync the Receptor clock to the click track.

2) Or I find some type of vst-plugin that outputs a click based on the internal Receptor tempo.

Option 2 seems to be the 'cleanest' way - I could output the click to a separate output and send it to the (in-ear) monitor mix. I'd have to send a start/stop command to the receptor to start the click. Does anyone know of a vst plugin that will output a 4/4 click on receptor).

Or would I be able to accomplish this using something like the Energy-XT vst sequencer?

Thanks in advance,

Barend

[gizmostatic]

hmm that's a good one. seems like a muse-written (or some willing freelance dude) VST that just does click would be a good thing to have.

I generate tempo/click from an outside source, but if you have a synth that you could program (maybe one with a sequencer built in like FM8) a patch that just plays quarter notes, you might get by, although it would probably not have a start/stop .. depending on the synth and key triggering and such. Probably not to hard to have an analog type synth with an lfo and an infinite release setting on the envelope work for you too.

[Norman Schmidt]

Until you find the right VST, the MidiSolutions.com Beat Indicator box flashes in response to the Midi clock. It would be useful if your using an arppeggiator live.

[Barend Onneweer]

Thanks for the response guys.

I just came across this: http://www.dehaupt.com/SynthEdit/DH_Metronome.htm

I'll see if I can get it installed this weekend - and whether it does what it needs to do.

Barend

[Briggity]

You might also consider a small inexpensive drum machine to generate the clicks - the drummer can operate it and call up tempos with different songs, using a footswitch to start/stop. You can feed MIDI clock to the Receptor from the drum machine. A used Boss Dr. Rhythm or Alesis would do the trick and probably can be found on ebay for $50-100... This might be handy for keeping tempos consistent even on songs that don't require a synced arpeggiator. I use Digital Performer for this, because it has great song-chaining features for live use....but that requires a dedicated computer and interface in addition to your Receptor.

Brian

[Barend Onneweer]

For anyone following this thread, the DH_Metronome works on receptor, and I can turn it on and off using a midi control signal.

But I'm probably going to go with Brian's suggestion of an el cheapo drum machine anyway. Currently I'm only using the Receptors stereo analog output and to send the click to a separate output I'd need to get a DA converter - so for now it's probably even cheaper to get a Dr Rhythm or something similar and slave the Receptors midi tempo to that.

Barend

[RoyG]

For cheaper DA coverting using the s/pdif output I've purchased this:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... category0=

It hasn't arrived yet so I can't be sure it'll work.

[citizen020]

I just came across this: http://www.dehaupt.com/SynthEdit/DH_Metronome.htm

I tried that, but the install failed. Some kind of VST drum machine or metronome would be great. Any suggestions?

[Barend Onneweer]

Did you put the metronome VST in the Unsupported Plugins folder? It works fine for me. I haven't tried a VST drum machine yet.

Barend

[schubert]

Create a midi file of the sequence you will be playing eg to trigger a synth on channel 1. Create a click, a cowbell for keeping time to and a hand clap to instruct the drummer when the changes will occur. Put the click track on a channel that is not being used by the receptor. Take a midi cable from the midi out or thru depending on wether or not you are triggering the sounds externally on the receptor and feed this to the midi in on a drum machine ensuring that the drum machine is receiving data from the desired channel. Using a headphone amp feed the audio signal from the drum machine to the headphone amp and from this to a set of muffs for the drummer. When you press play if you are triggering the click should start first, this will only be heard by the drummer from the headphones. Now work out how you are going to do it. A quick tip because you don't want to surprise your drummer with a sudden change give him two bars of hand claps so he can prepare and put a fill in. Here is an example of what I did at this gig, the drummer has an in ear wireless monitor.
http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=pFesdgKM5hk

The reason we use a cowbell and a clap is because they don't get drowned out and cut through to the drummer on stage.

[Barend Onneweer]

Thanks Schubert, but I think your solution is more complicated than my needs.

What do you use to play the midi-file?

We stick to the song structure so I don't need to tell the drummer when the changes are coming, I just want my arpeggiator to stay sync with the drummer and vice versa.

I'm now looking for a cheap drummachine, but it turns out that the cheaper ones don't have midi-out...

Cheers,

Barend

[schubert]

I use an SD midi controller
http://www.sdmidicontroller.com/
to trigger the midi, it is a really compact solution, (it's a real pity receptor doesn't incorporate one of these things in the system that would be absolutely brilliant). I use logic, cubase to arrange our songs, save them as 0 midi files on a SD card and we're away.
The footage you saw was a jam we did with peter hook and was off the cuff really.
If you want your drummer to play to a sequence or an arpeggio I personally think you'd be better off getting some form of click for him to play to. either use your arpeggiator to trigger a drum machine so your drummer gets a click or program the sequence and trigger a click to him. Once you get your head around it's not that difficult, trust me if I can do it you can.

[Barend Onneweer]

Ah... now I get it. You use a hardware sequencer to slave the receptor to.

I've looked into that option, too. I could just output a simple 4/4 midi part to an instrument on the Receptor playing a click or cowbell.

I've looked at the Yamaha QY-10 but they're hard to find.

Bar3nd