Looking for Tempo Map Tip

[Fezzler]

New to Pro Tools 2018.1.

I do covers of '50s, '60s and '70s songs. I like to drag a copy of the original song to the top track in a project to use as a reference track and template.

I also like to do my covers with a consistent tempo.

As you know, the tempo drifts on many of the older songs. I know how to analyze a few measures, set transient markers and create a tempo map in other DAWS. Then I quantize the tempo map to my grid or a consistent tempo.

I'm not asking for a step-by-step tutorial here, just some direction.

In Pro Tools, would I be using Beat Detective to do this? Does Beat Detective create a tempo map? I see many YouTube videos using Beat Detective for drums but I typically have to do a lot by hand.

Thanks.

[mandal]

Set cursor (slip mode) on every beat and press:
Ctrl + I

...and adjust the value in the popup.

Now, the grid will adjust to your tempo!!

[Fezzler]

Set cursor (slip mode) on every beat and press:
Ctrl + I

...and adjust the value in the popup.

Now, the grid will adjust to your tempo!!

Ah, thanks! But after I map the drifting tempo of the imported song, I want to map its varying tempo to my grid set tempo and stretch (elastic?) the audio.

[64GTOBOY]

I think maybe you could use digigroove templates for this. I haven't actually done it just read about it. You turn your map into a digigroove template that can be saved and applied to another track. Hopefully someone who uses this can chime in

[mandal]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0xlBU1HS3A&list=FLGwESeAkVAcKJ8obcpMUmzw&index=68

[Ben Jenssen]

Ah, thanks! But after I map the drifting tempo of the imported song, I want to map its varying tempo to my grid set tempo and stretch (elastic?) the audio.
Tempo mapping equals having the grid line up to the varying tempo of a recorded piece, by inserting tempo changes in the tempo ruler in PT.

You want to adjust the recording to fit a fixed tempo, and that means using elastic audio and manual work.

The basic procedure that I use at least goes like this:

- Find the appx. tempo of the track by playing it, click on the tempo field in transport window, and tapping 'T' key. You'll see the tempo value will change to match your tapping.

- Find a good bar one in the track and place it on the grid on, say bar five. turn on the metronome and the tempo should match for a few beats until the recording starts to drift.

- Turn on elastic audio polyphonic and set the track to ticks instead of samples.

- Set the track to warp view.

- Place a warp marker on your bar one.

- Find, say bar one of verse two, and place a warp marker there too. If it's not on the grid line, drag it there.

- Find bar one of verse three, place warp marker and line it up to the grid.

Repeat until the end of the song, and you will have the audio roughly adjusted to match the grid and the tempo you chose in step one.

Play the track and the click, and insert more markers and fine tune it until you're happy with the song matching the click.

At least this is how I do it.

Oh, and here's a lot of tutorials on this on youtube.

[wwittman]

...

I do covers of '50s, '60s and '70s songs. I like to drag a copy of the original song to the top track in a project to use as a reference track and template.

I also like to do my covers with a consistent tempo.
...

this is, of course, the secret to making " covers of '50s, '60s and '70s songs" sound and feel nothing like " '50s, '60s and '70s songs"

[64GTOBOY]

^^+1
I misunderstood- I thought OP was trying to copy original groove to new production, which I think is a pretty cool idea actually. I completely missed this "I also like to do my covers with a consistent tempo.":rolleyes:

[albee1952]

One option; run the originals thru Melodyne(stand alone version) and flat-line the tempos.

[midnightrambler]

this is, of course, the secret to making " covers of '50s, '60s and '70s songs" sound and feel nothing like " '50s, '60s and '70s songs"

OP might just want to do cover versions with a modern feel and I for one don’t really see what’s wrong with that. It certainly doesn’t deserve a catty pointless response like this.

[studiostuff]

I don't think Weedy was being catty...

I thought his point was "news you can use". Especially the tempo! :-)

[Fezzler]

this is, of course, the secret to making " covers of '50s, '60s and '70s songs" sound and feel nothing like " '50s, '60s and '70s songs"

lol. :(

[Fezzler]

Tempo mapping equals having the grid line up to the varying tempo of a recorded piece, by inserting tempo changes in the tempo ruler in PT.

You want to adjust the recording to fit a fixed tempo, and that means using elastic audio and manual work.

The basic procedure that I use at least goes like this:

- Find the appx. tempo of the track by playing it, click on the tempo field in transport window, and tapping 'T' key. You'll see the tempo value will change to match your tapping.

- Find a good bar one in the track and place it on the grid on, say bar five. turn on the metronome and the tempo should match for a few beats until the recording starts to drift.

- Turn on elastic audio polyphonic and set the track to ticks instead of samples.

- Set the track to warp view.

- Place a warp marker on your bar one.

- Find, say bar one of verse two, and place a warp marker there too. If it's not on the grid line, drag it there.

- Find bar one of verse three, place warp marker and line it up to the grid.

Repeat until the end of the song, and you will have the audio roughly adjusted to match the grid and the tempo you chose in step one.

Play the track and the click, and insert more markers and fine tune it until you're happy with the song matching the click.

At least this is how I do it.

Oh, and here's a lot of tutorials on this on youtube.

Thanks! I'm familiar with this process in other DAWs. I appreciate your time to respond and contribute meaningful assistance.

[Fezzler]

One option; run the originals thru Melodyne(stand alone version) and flat-line the tempos.

Interesting. I'll try it.

[Ben Jenssen]

Thanks! I'm familiar with this process in other DAWs. I appreciate your time to respond and contribute meaningful assistance.
It's a pleasure.

[Fezzler]

OP might just want to do cover versions with a modern feel and I for one don’t really see what’s wrong with that. It certainly doesn’t deserve a catty pointless response like this.

I appreciate your thought. Don't worry about it man, I just skipped right by it. Some people have nothing better to do, you know?
I'm not a professional producer. I'm not professional musician. I'm not even an accomplished garage band player.

I'm just a hobbyist who is learning to play guitar, bass, some keys, program drums and record and mix in my man cave. My instructor makes it fun by working with me on popular songs. Having the even tempo is helping me learn and practice timing. It's one way and a fun way to learn.

My instructor has more than 35 years in the business as a songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, producer, recording engineer, arranger, bassist, sometimes drummer, and other various musical instruments. His recording and producing efforts have garnered positive reviews in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Trouser Press, Goldmine, and many others. He has produced or worked with Bob Lind, Bill Lloyd, Hootie and Blowfish, Graham Parker, Dennis Diken (The Smithereens), Don Dixon, Mitch Easter, Jody Stephens (Big Star), Ken Stringfellow (Posies), Robert Crenshaw and many more. His band has played all over the world and even had an appearance on American Bandstand ("I liked the beat and it was easy to dance to.") and The Tonight Show.

So if he tells me to set the tunes to a steady tempo to better develop timing while having fun, who am I to disagree?

(And yes, I know who the poster is and his most impressive talent and career. #respect )

And now back to my cover of The Yardbirds' "For Your Love" - a song so pop Clapton left the band. Inserting bongos.

[ibbod0]

my way of doing it is to map out the tempo by tabbing to transients and pressing ctrl-i to type in the timing. then turn on elastic audio, set the track timebase to ticks and then delete all the tempo markers. this way you can simultaneously create the warp points and quantize it. then just set the tempo to whatever you like. easy :-)

[Ben Jenssen]

my way of doing it is to map out the tempo by tabbing to transients and pressing ctrl-i to type in the timing. then turn on elastic audio, set the track timebase to ticks and then delete all the tempo markers. this way you can simultaneously create the warp points and quantize it. then just set the tempo to whatever you like. easy :-)
Well, easy enough when you're talking a straight kick/snare track like in your screenshots (nice, btw), but not applicable on a full band track. Also, you don't really want so many warp markers, so tight. Quantize will surely screw things up.

I stand by the procedure that I suggested earlier.

[Fezzler]

my way of doing it is to map out the tempo by tabbing to transients and pressing ctrl-i to type in the timing. then turn on elastic audio, set the track timebase to ticks and then delete all the tempo markers. this way you can simultaneously create the warp points and quantize it. then just set the tempo to whatever you like. easy :-)

Thank you!

[wwittman]

It wasn’t meant to be ‘mean’

But rather to make a point.
I think your ‘instructor’ is very much missing the point.

Playing along to The Beatles is in fact far more useful and instructive than playing Ticket To Ride to a click

If you’re making an EDM version of Ticket To Ride, then by all means, a fixed tempo is almost certainly necessary.
But if not...

My point in posting is that it’s far too common these days for people to obsess about ‘perfect’ tempo (and tuning, for that matter) even when it’s in fact antithetical or at least not HELPFUL to making good records of certain types.

[Fezzler]

It wasn’t meant to be ‘mean’

But rather to make a point.
I think your ‘instructor’ is very much missing the point.

Playing along to The Beatles is in fact far more useful and instructive than playing Ticket To Ride to a click

If you’re making an EDM version of Ticket To Ride, then by all means, a fixed tempo is almost certainly necessary.
But if not...

My point in posting is that it’s far too common these days for people to obsess about ‘perfect’ tempo (and tuning, for that matter) even when it’s in fact antithetical or at least not HELPFUL to making good records of certain types.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I sincerely appreciate and understand your counsel.

[Fezzler]

FYI.

I ended up splitting the imported song at every four measures. Then I used Elastic Audio to make each 4-bar segment fit my tempo.

Worked pretty darn good, was fast, easy and now I have a nice reference track.

Now if I could only sing like Keith Relf!

[Ben Jenssen]

FYI.

I ended up splitting the imported song at every four measures. Then I used Elastic Audio to make each 4-bar segment fit my tempo.

Worked pretty darn good, was fast, easy and now I have a nice reference track.

Now if I could only sing like Keith Relf!
That's really good to hear!
Not taking credit or anything, but it sounds like you followed my recommendation earlier in the thread.

[aidanm]

Tempo mapping equals having the grid line up to the varying tempo of a recorded piece, by inserting tempo changes in the tempo ruler in PT.

You want to adjust the recording to fit a fixed tempo, and that means using elastic audio and manual work.

The basic procedure that I use at least goes like this:

- Find the appx. tempo of the track by playing it, click on the tempo field in transport window, and tapping 'T' key. You'll see the tempo value will change to match your tapping.

- Find a good bar one in the track and place it on the grid on, say bar five. turn on the metronome and the tempo should match for a few beats until the recording starts to drift.

- Turn on elastic audio polyphonic and set the track to ticks instead of samples.

- Set the track to warp view.

- Place a warp marker on your bar one.

- Find, say bar one of verse two, and place a warp marker there too. If it's not on the grid line, drag it there.

- Find bar one of verse three, place warp marker and line it up to the grid.

Repeat until the end of the song, and you will have the audio roughly adjusted to match the grid and the tempo you chose in step one.

Play the track and the click, and insert more markers and fine tune it until you're happy with the song matching the click.

At least this is how I do it.

Oh, and here's a lot of tutorials on this on youtube.

That’s some awesome advice! Thanks!

[Ben Jenssen]

That’s some awesome advice! Thanks!
I thank you, for reporting back. Nice to know.
(Over 10.000 have clicked on this thread… pretty good for the DUC, but I guess it wasn't all due to my advice.)
:-)

[aidanm]

I thank you, for reporting back. Nice to know.
(Over 10.000 have clicked on this thread… pretty good for the DUC, but I guess it wasn't all due to my advice.)
:-)

It worked a treat!
Managed to get an old metal song I was involved in 30 years ago with varying tempo all over the place, plus planned tempo and meter changes all synced up to the grid thanks to your advice!