Metronome / Click Track

[Jonassongs]

Guys,
total newbie question. Can either the D8B or the HDR generate a click track based on the tempo settings? I'm just starting to use this setup from a Roland VS-2480 I've used for years. Getting a click track was simple in that. This is honestly the only thing I can't figure out on the D8B. Everything else is so intuitive! Maybe it just can't? any help would be much appreciated!

[Bruce Graham]

Hey Jonasongs;

Welcome to this Forum. It is a great one.

It is not possible to generate a click track with the d8b or HDR.

Though I've been proven wrong before!

Just say'n.
Cheers
Bruce

[Jonassongs]

thanks for the reply Bruce, Is there a way with an external piece to generate one? If you follow me, what's the point in setting the tempo in the HDR if there is nothing to reference and play to that timing, I must be missing something...
Thanks for any ideas
and yes, this forum is awesome!

[Bruce Graham]

Hey Jonasongs;

To the best of my knowledge there is no way to generate a click. You can switch between SMPTE (MIDI) display and Bars/Beats but I don't think that will help.

I generally dedicate track 24 to click. It becomes an other audio signal that gets recorded. As the tracks fill up, I switch to another virtual track on track 24. This losses the ability to hear the click, but gives me 24 tracks of audio.

Unless anyone else has any idea's that's about it for me. What you want would be cool, but the technology (the HDR) is a little dated for that.

Good luck!
Bruce

[FrankH]

What you want would be cool, but the technology (the HDR) is a little dated for that.

And that in a nutshell is the answer.

I sold my HDR years ago, replaced by a DAW...so I don't remember what tempo or BPM control that thing had. But it does spit out MTC that the D8B needs to follow, and therein lies the "dated" quality of what is possible.

The D8b has a button labeled SMPTE View in the transport area (the software Locator has 2 radio buttons to mirror this). Click it to turn off the SMPTE View LED and the D8B merrily starts displaying bars, beats & ticks...based on the tempo you set in the D8Bs MIDI Setup page.

Problem is....it's always 4/4 and it doesn't follow the tempo or meter via MTC. Unless you're doing a strict dance tune or something, where the tempo and meter never changes....this D8B function is pretty much useless. At best, it's a poorly implemented convenience.

Like Bruce suggests, print a click and don't bother switching the D8B's time display to BBT. As to generating a click, there are a ton of little audio devices that can do this like cheap small practice stomp boxes or drum machines...etc.

[Jonassongs]

Awesome you guys! Thanks for the info. The software had me going with the beats and bars deal. Thought for sure it would have an audible click. Printing one would be easy enough with our drummers sampler. Thanks for all the awesome input!