identify beat command

[keysmia]

I transfered 24 tracks from adat into pro tools and would like to add midi tracks to this audio. also I have drum loops and would like to find the tempo. I have done all the steps in the manual( on page 226) and called tech support and followed the procedure per instructions from a tech rep on an earlier thread. My problem: Incorrect tempo calculations. I tried this on a loop and fiqured out the tempo with the click but it drifted at some point. How do you do this?? I'm sure many users who work with drum loops and audio traks have to fiqure out the tempo to lock midi tracks in. HELP.

[lwilliam]

If the imported session wasn't done to a click track, you'll definitely have tempo fluctuations. Even if it was, there still may be minor changes you'll need to make.

You have to create a tempo map, inserting a new tempo change every time it drifts out of time. It's a bit tedious, but can be done. Just select shorter segments of the music and get the tempo for that section. Usually, every 4-8 bars or so is enough.

I've also noticed that the "Identify Beat" command won't work accurately if you don't have exact beginnings and endings for the loops that you're using. Once you've gotten the correct tempo, put PTLE in grid mode and repeat the loop with the "snap" feature. That should help.

If you have a sampler, that can help, also. I use the "beat munging" feature on my Emu. I just tell it the start and end of the loop and how many beats it is, and it calculates the exact tempo.

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LW


[This message has been edited by lwilliam (edited April 26, 2000).]

[keysmia]

The imported session was done with a click. It was all midi. how do you create a tempo map for the whole song and can i just fiqure out the tempo by using the click and adjusting it? i mean i know what 120 sounds like etc. is this a way to go? help

[coaster]

you may have to make a few educated guesses, and see which one best lines up. i know exactly what you are talking about; i have had similiar problems.

you may find that the click track you recorded to is 'special'. as in, inconsistent. i have a keyboard that does this, if you set vision to chase the keyboard, you can watch the tempo meter fluctuate between 3-4 beats of your tempo setting. hopefully this is not your problem.
you may have a click track that is 'inbetween' settings, also; as in 120.4 beats per minute. 120 will line up for a while, then drift. 121 will line up and drift ect.

i am afraid you will have to make manual adjustments to the tempo in pro tools if you can't find one that works.

i now always "stripe" a tempo track into protools before i start (if the session warrants one). i create one midi track of just kick drum on the downbeats. magically everything syncs up in the end, and i remove this "stripe" track.

good luck..

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www.mp3.com/xtac

[keysmia]

what i am confused about is when i used identify beat command with a drum loop it said 94. but it was really 115. how can it be so off?

[ROMDAN]

dentify beat also works with a highlighted section. If you highlight a section and use this command it asks you whats the start and end point. Put the cursor right before the first down beat and then shift click to either the fith or ninth bar(b4 the down beat). Tell it the tempo and it should be pretty close. Of coarse listen to later parts in the song to see if it drifts.(of coarse this only works if it was tracked to a click.

[lwilliam]

Identify beat is not usually as inaccurate as you state. I would have to suggest some sort of "user error" here. Maybe you've told it the incorrect number of bars, or you've got a lot of space either before or after the analyzed section?

Double check your settings.


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LW

[coaster]

i have been getting this 'user error' in photoshop 5.5 lately. i think i need to eat my wheaties.

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