Do You Need to Record to a Click Track?

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➡️➡️Today's FAQ Friday Questions:
➡️Seems like every producer records to a click track no matter what the genre of music? What is your opinion and what would you advise to some bands whose producer wants them to do that? 0:51
➡️It seems like I’m always finding too many frequencies that are offensive. How many variables am I missing with the micing (placement, etc.)? 7:24
➡️Would love to hear your thoughts on the field of video game/sound design when it comes to being sustainable compared to just recording and producing musicians and artists. 12:15
We’re back with another wonderful FAQ Friday! Today’s featured question is: It seems like every producer records to a click track no matter what the genre of music. I feel like it hurts the song, like almost every song before has almost unintentional tempo changes that made the song more alive and more natural. What is your opinion and what would you advise to some bands whose producer wants them to do that?
The way I grew up making records - and hope to continue making records - especially with bands, is to get them all in the same room so they can perform with each other. Even if i do end up replaying certain parts, the point is that they’ve put the song down like they were playing it live, which does allow for fluctuations in tempo. Even if you are tracking to a click, there will be pushes and pulls between the instruments.
A trick that I have used, is to play the click for 2 or 4 bars, or even half of the first verse, just to set the tempo, and then mute it and let the band take it from there.
In the end though, it will depend on the band and the situation! Has the band been playing live together for a year or two, have you done a couple of weeks of pre-production where you nailed down the arrangements and made sure everything sounds exactly how it should? If yes, then you can probably get away without a click. If not, though, you may be better off recording to a click so you can make sure everything does sound right. Or, if the band is going to be using synth parts and programmed parts, the drummer will likely need to play to a click track.
The reality is, although it may seem like the ideal situation is to record without a click track, sometimes it is necessary to get the result you and the band are looking for!
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[@Producelikeapro]

Leave your FAQ Friday questions below!

[@homenetwork5334]

How to mix drums from Drum VSTs such as EZ Drummer & get a good sound out of them ?

[@SynthStreet]

Sometimes i like to (quite heavily) compress my drum bus with a very slow attack, but the 1st kick hit jumps out, is too loud, the compressor needs to start up... What is a good way to fix this? Now i tend to already feed the compressor sound but mute the channel with automation and and un-mute it when the drums really start.

[@beulg2464]

Can you tell me again what cables you use at your studio ? Do they matter ? Vovox for example. Hope YOU are doing marvelousely well !

[@flavanthensome]

Do you need a seperate mic pre along with an audio interface, or can you connect the mic directly into the interface? Are there benefits or drawbacks to either?

[@colinsmith8311]

Hi Warren Love the videos and the academy. Wondered if you might be able to talk a bit about bussing strategy and automation I tend to automate both individual tracks and the group buss and often end up in a real tangle. Are there and rules of thumb you follow when automating and bussing

[@rmv9194]

I finally recorded a 4 song EP without using any click track (I tracked the whole group playing together in the same room, only the vocals, choirs and some percussion instruments were played afterwards). It turned great, it required not that much editing. I could even replace one part of the best take with another take and it sounded great, and they never heard a click track the whole session. I actually liked the vibe, looking forward for doing the same for more recordings. The group was formed 6 months before the recording. Also, i read somewhere that Rust in Peace was recorded with no click track, just amazing musicians playing the songs for one year. If such a perfect record was able to be done that way there is no excuse for producers preaching the use of a click track as an absolute.

[@clinterz]

As a musician, the first time I ever worked with a producer with actual pro credits, the first thing he did was make us rehearse to a click. Everyone in the band absolutely hated it. We got used to it, however. Funny thing was, after about six months the band had transitioned into a totally tight blistering pro outfit. Even after the recording we continued to rehearse to a click. This was a valuable lesson that I have passed on to other bands over the years…all to great success.

[@jeremyfox7599]

It's absolutely marvelous to be gifted with a brand new Produce Like a Pro video and it's a superb surprise to realize that it's a Fact Friday video which is one of my absolute favorite video series on KZbin! Thank you, Warren!

[@rebeliirecords-official491]

thanks warren so much for that mic placement tip that will make so much of a difference in my ease of mixing.

[@yuryskakun7788]

Hey Warren, just wanted to say that FAQ Friday has become an awesome kickoff to my weekends in a life full of routines. Thank you for a great channel and for making me a better music practitioner. Stay safe.

[@borndrumming1972]

One other thought. I own several Shure sm57 microphones. I have recorded a source with all of them and listened back. With getting my microphone as close to the same position there was still differences from microphone to microphone. This was not only An Occurrence that happened on my guitar recordings but my snare drum recordings as well. So if you can afford to have a couple or three sm57 in your home studio it's a really good idea. They are great on everything from high hats two isolated vocal tracks to isolated guitar recordings Andrew mics. I have a 57 that has a poor high-end response. I have it facing away from my drum set in the studio and I record that as a room mic.

[@claudius3124]

Thanks Warren for still being there for us in those weird times..... Stay safe with your family.. :-D

[@Superdelphinus]

At the moment I’m only understanding somewhere between 25-50% of these videos but they are wonderfully inspiring and always make me try new things at home. Thanks PLAP!

[@EricGPLAP]

only a matter of time before that 25-50% goes up to 35-60% and so on ;)

[@ryKirwan1]

Always enjoy faq Friday. Cheers!

[@Kineticartist]

Ive come to rely on having these FAQ friday videos to finish up my week thank you so much Warren and Eric God Bless!

[@HitTheRoadMusicStudio]

Wow what for great topics again, thank you Warren and PLAP team !!! Yeah, when the artists are ready to rock and know each other then leave the click at home and capture this energy :D !!! PLAP Rocked it again, what a great energy !!!

[@DanDeVitaMusic]

This was an excellent video, thank you so much for all the tips!! I'm a solo acoustic singer/songwriter, currently doing some prep work to start recording my first full length album, and deciding whether or not to try and go with a click has been a big thing on my mind. In the past when I've worked with bands, we always used a click and it suited us really well. With my solo acoustic stuff, however, I find that trying to play it to a click usually ends up making things sound a little more wooden and less natural than they do when I'm just playing the song as normal. The single hardest challenge I've had is capturing the FEEL of my live takes, the momentum and power that comes when I'm just in the zone with these songs, which I've played hundreds of times live at this point. So awesome to hear your thoughts on the click track stuff, really helped solidify what I was already feeling -- that you just have to go with whatever the right approach for each individual project. Thanks for making these awesome videos, they've been so helpful!

[@shayneoneill1506]

I used to always record a click track when I was using tape because its kinda cleaner that way, but I realised with my own band that yeah it can kill the dynamics. I had this drummer that did drift a lot , but it worked, because he was just going with the feel, and when you tried to bottle that with a click track it'd just lose the energy.

[@seanwilde2327]

This best video describing what my band wants to achieve. We are booked into a studio and have been doing some pre recording work . We established the tempo with a click and then quickly realized that if we play with the click the whole way through the song isn’t the same feel at all . We realize now that we have slight tempo changes from verse to verse and chorus ect . It’s the same every time therefore we aren’t what some call out of time but simply playing to our chosen tempo for each part to make the song feel more dynamic. Also we have been playing as a band for seven years live and rehearsals and are locked into the groves we have created . Practicing with a click was an eye opener . After much deliberation with our recording engineer we will be all in one room recording each song until we feel that we nailed it . Then we sing that as a base to build on especially creating our own guide click . Thanks for confirming we are able to do this our engineer was adamant that we play to a set tempo click but he now is excited to try this method . Thanks great video .

[@Producelikeapro]

Fantastic! Thanks ever so much for sharing your own experience that means a lot and helps many other people

[@rosswilson1176]

Great vlog , thanks again Warren for a wealth of information , ideas and creativity .

[@Producelikeapro]

You're very welcome Ross! Thanks ever so much my friend!

[@t.j.fuller9531]

Tempo mapping .....awesome !

[@Producelikeapro]

Yes!! Thanks ever so much Thomas!

[@drbassface]

Tempo mapping! Cool. I once was surprised that Comfortably Numb lined right up at the Click/grid. That little instant pull back...the “and three” A to G chord...does come right back to the click after. They must have recorded to the click. Cool stuff.

[@Goldfishclown]

For comparison, try "Dogs". Throughout the song the verses speed up about 15 BPM.

[@jurgenschuler8389]

This was one of the best FAQ Fridays I remember... which just might be a testament to my ability to remember. However, awesome!

[@Producelikeapro]

Haha thanks ever so much Jürgen!

[@mrcoatsworth429]

One of the great new bands that doesn't record to a click track is Rival Sons. Amazing and organic sounding band!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much for sharing!

[@cary3428]

Mr Coatsworth Great band!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@cary3428 marvellous!

[@2mdcoe]

But are they using tape or digital?

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@2mdcoe I don't know for every album, but The Great Western Valkyrie was recorded to tape.

[@JoanneHurlock]

I love what you say about tempo mapping!

[@Lokendulge1]

Very cool stuff as always!! I record remotely with my band, singer in Canada, Drummer in NC, Bass player in Boston... we have done stuff that would have never been possible without your tips!! I record the riffs to sd3, send them to the singer then to the bass and last to my drummer! Crazy I know, but it works for us, then if anything needs to be adjusted I do it! Think it's cool that I'm in a band that has never met in real life and we are able to record and put out songs! We are Fate Will Come.. Thank you Warren for everything you do, It helps soo many people and if not, it helps me tremendously!! Thank You!!

[@mageprometheus]

Thank you. Game music is often non-linear and needs to automatically mix between sections depending on the player's decisions. I imagine that's an interesting exercise in complexity.

[@ronwilliams7611]

Tempo Map... What a great idea!!! Thanks!

[@thebarf9235]

Thanks. Just the info I was looking for perfectly explained. Yep, it depends on the situation. I've always resisted click tracks in my home recording. It just always seemed more natural to play to a full drum set (digital in my case). But it's become woefully clear to me that I'm still trying to get my chops back after a two decade vacation from recording music. I need to get my playing sounding confident and in time while still retaining the humanity. So click track, here I come.

[@ADGreen-es6hm]

Warren brilliant info , Thanks

[@Bluelagoonstudios]

I Almost seen all your video's and learned so much, I'm out of work anyhow by these lockdowns, Broadcast company's has to cut costs, so out of job and you rekindle the flame for going back to mixing, like in the early 80s. So maybe time for new opportunities. Thank you so much Warren.

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much for the wonderful comment. Wishing you all the best

[@borndrumming1972]

One other thing to mention about getting a sound with your microphone at the source of a slanted cab is this... Be sure you are wearing some headphones that are allowing you to hear only the signal that is coming through the microphone into the interface. You need to turn off all monitoring that is post d a w. Listen at a comfortable volume while someone plays the guitar and you move the microphone around or vice versa. Definitely implement the dust cap techniques that Warren is talking about. Sure recommends that you put the 57 on the seam between the dust cap and the body of the speaker. That has always worked for me while tweaking with headphones on. Hope this helps. Cheers. Have a great day. Stay safe everybody.

[@mladen777]

Thank you warren a lot!!!

[@brucesearl4407]

Great Advice. I always track ballad with a scratch vocal and piano without any click.... nothing but the live interplay between a singer and very musically playing keyboardist. Then... If needed, I'll make a tempo map in order to make adding other tracks, instruments or layers more easily. Tempo changes are the engine of anticipation and emotion... straight robotic time is fine sometimes but the ebb and flow to temp brings life and emotion to most music.

[@yiqwaba3833]

Thank you for this video .

[@NemsiRMedia]

Great work love it

[@michaelarthurmusic307]

Almost didn't watch this, but then thought I might learn something. Custom Click Track - genius!

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much Michael!

[@MrAttilaRozgonyi]

Hi Warren. I discovered your channel about a month ago, and may I say, it is a goldmine of amazing information. Thank you so much for creating it!! My question: how do you know which EQ to go for? There’s an obvious difference between parametric and multi band EQ’s, but what about plugins? Is there really much difference between, say parametric EQ’s by various manufacturers? I see you using EQ’s by waves, REQ, etc. Thank you!! 👍😊

[@MrBoneman]

Temp mapping is a firggini great idea!

[@sophiepaterson7444]

I wish this video had been around about 15 years ago when click tracks and loops were becoming 'compulsory'. So often it was presented as 'obviously the right way' to do it, but so often resulted in these lifeless sanitised albums. Now we have videos like this by real pros and it is heartening to think that my instincts were right. 👍

[@chrissoderlund1383]

Regarding click track and Tempo mapping: Cubase 10 and after will automatically do this in their audio warp feature you can have a drummer play the drums and then you can have the grid auto adjust to what the drummer played. It's a great feature that brings back the organic feel that I think whoever submitted the question was looking for. The grid adjusts to the performance so any editing afterwards is easier.

[@heythere6983]

similar to logic

[@LunaticTheCat]

@@heythere6983 Wait, Logic can do this?

[@zachary963]

I once did a demo where the full band came in a couple measures after the soloist started. I noticed the band always came in early, and when we recorded it to a click, I noticed the band still came in early. The tempo was steady, but the players still played around the click to match how they played with each other. My point in saying this is that good musicians will have great feel even when they play against a click.

[@colinsmith8311]

Hi Warren Love the videos and the academy. Wondered if you might be able to talk a bit about bussing strategy and automation I tend to automate both individual tracks and the group buss and often end up in a real tangle. Are there and rules of thumb you use.

[@TheFeelButton]

I always practice to a click so when I play I can swing my...own time...then match it up with the right rhyme😉 Guess what? Another day in the studio and garden 🙏☺️ Thanks for the Infotainment from a social distance! Cheers Warren!!

[@clintoncarlton2053]

Hey Warren, as always - a fantastic video! I have a question that I hope you can answer on a future FAQ Friday. Is there something known as sounding "too perfect"? I'm not sure about you or other people's opinions, but I personally find music that sounds "flawless" - a big turn off. I'm not interested in music that sounds fake; like most modern pop, rap, dance, dub, metal songs, etc. Classic musicians like Neil Young and Crazy Horse, The Band, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Who etc. (The list goes on). Their songs have a certain "natural rawness" to them that I find intriguing. "It's real..." What's your take on it? Thanks.

[@peevee605]

The late and great Jeff Porcaro RIP hated click track. He would take the tempo down slightly on parts and then kick them back to speed. Like the pre chorus section of Rosanna. Give me a great drummer and let us get a great track. Not grid every damn note.

[@PooNinja]

🎵Time is on my side click it is click it is🎵 Game sounds requires lots of folks, main theme and main character theme tunes mood music and OMG the Foley so much Foley 🤘🏽 have you ever punched a cabbage or growled thru a lampshade to get just the right sound... cause I have 😂! 🧼🌌👍🏽

[@EricGPLAP]

punching cabbages and growling sounds like lots of fun!

[@MrGioPicaro]

Thanks so much for your videos mate, I use your tips so much I should put you in the credits of my works..! My question is: do you suggest making our own mixing templates for quicker workflow? If so, it would be great if you could make a video on how to set up and save in ProTools our own auxiliary tracks containing effects we find ourselves using all the time (i.e. slap delay, long tail reverb) and how to quickly and effectively recall them in other sessions. Thanks again and stay safe Warren. Hugs from Italy 🇮🇹

[@WhaleBluePRS]

My two cents worth: Learn to play with a click/metronome, no matter what your instrument is. It's a skill set all it's own and it's MUCH easier to learn on your own time than on someone else's. There are no downsides to pursuing the skill, every aspect of your playing will benefit from the work. As far as recording, if it's not needed, go for it! If it's needed, everyone who has the developed skill will help those who haven't. It's all in service of the song and those you are working with. I write, perform and record all live instruments on my own and the click is essential for me. It's also a truly hard won victory. It's easy to get discouraged, just keep at it. it's worth everything you put into it. The ultimate of course is music performed without a click but it sure can help with punches and comping and other bits of studio techno wizardy!

[@AndyKub]

I’m in a band that crosses international borders, Sweden, Canada and the US. We start projects with some midi tracks and we record drums last at times. But we do prog and our tempo maps frequently change time signatures as well as tempos. Work for us! And we never played together live.

[@Yahoomediaclub]

Great Expanation 🎸⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@davetbassbos]

Speaking of tempo maps, I've been looking through ancient music magazines, and just saw (1987) an ad for the Kahler Human Clock a rackmount unit that took a pulse from a live drummer and then shifted the midi backing track' tempo to match, not sure if there's a software equivalent but seems doable (by someone smarter than me, of course!)

[@chrismataran8302]

Tempo map is my secret weapon and not only to make music ;-). Stay safe and healthy! Cheers!

[@Producelikeapro]

Haha thanks ever so much Chris!

[@splashesin8]

😊 Thanks 🙏🏻

[@Producelikeapro]

Thanks ever so much Audrey!

[@thomasjudson4799]

Hi Warren! My question fro FAQ Friday is this, what mic to use? Recommendations? I would like to record and sample ambient noises such as birdsong, tick-tock from clocks in a room etc. However, it would be a small bonus if I can use it as a general purpose vocal mic. I understand there's the various types of mic, cardioid patterns and so on. How sensitive is something such as the sm57 for birdsong? Love the channel, I've learnt a lot!

[@RC32Smiths01]

Again with such factual information to know!

[@larryayres4592]

I noticed that you have an AMS Neve 1073LB in your studio. I recently got one too. It would be great to learn how to get the most out of this mic pre/eq. It sounds good to me (and I have a Telefunken V72 as well), but it doesn't 'blow me away'. I suspect that seasoned engineers know how to adjust it (maybe with the trim pot which is like a master volume) or EQ to get a great sound for vocals, for example. Maybe you could do a segment on this?

[@qfz2112]

I just realized the other day that my 57 had a faulty capsule. For years I had been wondering why my amp sounded terrible recorded, and it wasn't until I bought a new microphone that I realized the issue.

[@fibboobbif]

yea, it doesnt hurt to always check with different mikes ;-)

[@TheBelse]

lol@hard quantising. ..I think some of the early AC/DC stuff was varispeeded back at the hotel after the recording session. It's why some of the early pieces don't play so well when you try to imitate them. Defo for prog rock as well...i detune as we'll ..tempo derived from whole cycles and whole milliseconds. I'd recommend Ozric tentacles ..they do it well for a prog band.

[@claremootster_acoustic_karaoke]

I think it really depends on what you want to do. If you want other musicians too add parts after it's good to play to a click. However with some music it's nicer to not play to a click. There might be slight tempo changes or it might have a slight groove which sometimes moves slightly off a perfect beat. Sometimes it's nice to just play it live without a click. Dance music and music to a straight beat can work well to a click.

[@pjdoppke2447]

One thought re: harsh sounding guitars is the pickups! Especially in bands that haven’t recorded before a guitar that “cuts” in a club setting can be real bright under a microphone. Even high end Gibson pickups are shrill for my taste. Worth looking at.

[@gmacey83]

Yea I had the same issue with recording guitar starting out. And like warren said it’s most likely the source. Get your amp sounding great than Record it and your gonna like the end result

[@scottchandler1796]

I have had really good luck lately with the Two Notes Captor Torpedo along with the "Wall of Sound" app and impulse responses...

[@danielrobertson9854]

Also, you can add tempo changes after it has been recorded, speed up, slow down every 2-4 bars 0.1-2 BPM and it works just fine.....

[@CoryWaldroup]

Thanks for all the comments on micing a guitar cab. We have also been struggling with capturing a great guitar sound. We have a Marshall DSL40C, 57, PreSonus XMAX pre (Quantum 2 interface). Are those considered nice Pres?

[@Longhorn.Rock_Roll61]

When you have a drummer like ACDC,s drummer that makes a hell of a difference Phill Rudd was so solid . You couldn't tell .

[@Producelikeapro]

Yes, the speeding up and slowing down made sense within the song! It feels perfect for the track!

[@ghostnotecity4463]

Yes

[@mollet09]

I'm recording a few songs for the first time with my band, for an EP, and the singer is not "that good" on the pitches, and singing in tune perfectly, but he also doesn't want to use auto tune on his voice(he wants his voice to sound natural) so some parts of the songs feels like the voice is slightly getting to approach the note. So what do you think about not using auto tune on this cases, and how much do you accept this situations happening on a song? What would you recommend?. Thanks, really like your videos!

[@styrofoamghost5099]

FAQ Friday question: What do you do to reduce string noise when recording guitar. when you slide up and down the strings the squeaking is unavoidable in alot of cases. do you use finger ease or something to quiet them? I know flatwounds are an option and ive used them before but found them to be darker than the sound i wanted. Thanks Warren!

[@roboverholt9959]

I see all the compressors and fun things on studio racks and this may sound like a silly question, but do you run them during the recording, or route it through after and adjust it and then back in(If so is it a quick render thing or do you actually have to sit through the whole song)? When I record I love hearing it with all the bells and whistles as I'm playing or singing as it adds to my performance.. However then it's baked in if I was excited ,which happens from time to time, and only hear later something was off... Cheers from Regina Canada the city that rhymes with fun :) Also, I'm a big fan of one take and not punching in.. I record video of my audio and say i have a difficult spot near the end.. You can see and hear the excitement as i finally get past that point. I feel emotion is not cohesive when you punch in.. Even in minutes apart. If I make myself laugh while singing at the beginning of the song it adds up to the end of the songs performance... Your thoughts?

[@ksparbanie]

Lots of experienced audio engineers & producers (including Warren) talk about the importance of high quality microphone & guitar cables, especially for long runs. "Buy the best you can afford" whether they're Mogami Gold or über-expensive Wireworld, for example. But I haven't really seen any gold or silver-plated, heavy-duty 1/4" or TT patch cords for patch bays. Even in this digital age, most pro studios have racks of pricey vintage or state-of-the art outboard analog gear and use patch bays. What about the cords? And the bays themselves? Comments and recommendations on quality, please.

[@StaticTeaz]

I think "yes" for the most case. HOWEVER, some singer-songwriters perform better while singing with guitar or piano live. Keith Green is one such example. Personally, I enjoy laying down acoustic songs without a click (yet it does make overdubbing more difficult and time consuming).

[@Producelikeapro]

Very true Andrew! Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@rollacoastaride1937]

I always use the grid because I love using midi to add modern electronica sounds as much as possible, but when I sing my folk songs with a nylon string guitar or use an electric to sound like an acoustic, I wouldn't dream of adding any beats or rhythmic sounds, I actually treasure nice nylon sting guitars above all electrics, I have a golden rule of never recording my folky solo songs, I just keep them unrecorded and spontaneous, the tempo always goes up and down naturally, but as soon as I switch to recording electric stuff, I don't mind the drums and whole ensemble sounding like robots, I never did find a great drummer to work with live, I lament endlessly over that.

[@rb032682]

I've played on great multi-track recordings without a click. I've played on great multi-track recordings with a click. A lot depends on the players. I won't claim to be a great player, but eventually, I was able to follow a click and play without sounding to stiff and sterile. A lot depends on how well the click can be heard in the players' headphones.

[@MichaelMarucci]

Do you have to record to a click track? Of course not, but everything about the process changes depending if you do or not. Overdubs, arrangement work, lord almighty, it's always about context.

[@Producelikeapro]

Agreed 100%!

[@odessarepresentative]

Totally avoid the click whenever possible and try to track vocals and guitar together as it just never works well to separate them because the vocal feel i want often pushes and pulls the guitar intentionally. Most great musicians (jimi hendrix) that people revere would sound horrible with a click. That said if you want a mechanical super precise sound go for it and it could be necessary if you have lots of electronic elements.

[@Longhorn.Rock_Roll61]

I've seen ACDC like 3 times . The first time it was the who made who tour . One of the best shows I've ever seen . The second time they rushed there songs so I'm thinking White Lion opened up for them . So they were so fired up.

[@testament7086]

Hey Warren, i really appreciate your tutorials, they brought my mixes to another level ;) One thing i was wondering, what is the screen up next to you on the wall? I saw this at another producer also, has it something to do with your mixing console?

[@MrAttilaRozgonyi]

testament7086 I was wondering that too. I’m going to guess it’s something to do with the ssl console...?

[@EricGPLAP]

that would be for the SSL console, to help with commands on saving recalls of the fader and knob positions, saving automation etc

[@testament7086]

@@EricGPLAP thx!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@testament7086 great to see Eric answer!!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@EricGPLAP nicely done Eric! Do more! Haha

[@bobluking5401]

Question:What is your workflow like AFTER you've printed your tracks and BEFORE you start to mix?

[@PeterHubscher]

Hey Warren, I have something I've been wondering about which hopefully you can answer. I'm not a professional engineer, I just do this for fun and my own enrichment. I've learned to mix with my ears and not with my eyes, but I still use a spectrum analyzer quite often to help me out in a few ways from time to time. One thing I've noticed when using reference tracks is that at least every song I've used for reference, everything around 14-15k has been completely lopped off. Can you shed some light on why this is done? I'm in my mid 40s, my hearing has suffered from playing in rock bands for many years, I have tinitis, and I generally don't hear much (useful) stuff that high up in the mix in the first place. I also try not to do anything in my mixes "just because," and try to have a reason for everything I do. But I've been low passing my mixes above 14-15k because my references do. Thanks for all of your wonderful insight. Take care.

[@miketregle]

In Pro Mix academy and many many other places, I see mixers putting one instance of EQ for a high pass, then another instance for notching, then another instance for maybe a shelf or something. Is there a benefit to using different instances for each function when you could theoretically do them all in one? Does multiple instances change the effect on the sound?

[@ShawnErroneous]

I noticed when playing and recording live that the songs sound like they were meant to be played. Sometimes with a 10-15 second difference in length. My current band has been playing together since 1999 and haven't been able to get a good studio recording because nobody records live anymore. So we have 20 years of live recordings from shows and 0 legit studio recordings

[@fibboobbif]

I was generally recording with click track since 1987... except jazz bands. Some good Musicians were perfectly on the click, and still sounding "alive". After i started again in Spain with young Rock Bands in 2014, i record without click... sounds much better if they play tight togehter. But when it comes to pop production, i nearly always would prefer recording with click, just because of the much easier posibilities (adding Keyboards or drum overdubs with the computer i.e.) Btw. Kemper is great for creating good sound quickly... also additional guitars. Often a bit too much compressed, so i would take back the gain and make up the volume.. But i prefer the classical method on the solo guitars.

[@Gracebeliever077]

Do you use the built-in click from your DAW or do you record one as a track? I saw a studio in Nashville on a KZbin video that recorded a device with a click into a track. Or, so it seemed. Thanks in advance.

[@yaknski]

Having some swing does make the song sound more natural. For me, the big thing isn't necessarily the tempo, but rather, are the instruments hitting down beats, accents, etc. at the same time? If not, you lose punch.

[@philu4621]

Do you use Cubase? If so, would it be possible to send a track or two for some pro mixing and mastering?

[@McGuire40695]

Early comment? Woah, this rare! And when I tend to do songs, I get all of the parts for the song figured out and adjust the tempo map accordingly. I usually do that click track trick since I know roughly how the song will sound when I get to playing it with other people. And I am a one man show, so I have to get the natural groove of the song done through tempo maps. That "play straight to this tempo for the entire song" ruins the vibe of the song. Like the Back in Black example, the slight variation in tempo between the first verse and first chorus makes the song great.

[@MHVideot]

I've started to play without click. I only use it for the start. But if I'm using it I keep it so quiet that I can do some tempo changes without it distracts me.

[@hydra98001]

When micing an amp, why not just back it away from the spreaker a bit so you're getting both the cone and cap? I get not wanting to eq the mic but I can't help but think it would be better to get all of the sound out of the amp that you can and eq out what you don't want than to try to get that mic at JUST the right spot.

[@flammableanimal]

I think it depends on what kind of feel you're going for. Certain tracks need a click for certain parts. Others, it's best to remove the click and let the artist groove to the drummer or whatever rhythm part is in the forefront... subjective, but, overall, you will prob need a click at some point, in my humble opinion.

[@ivancaplan]

HOw do you think this year (at least) without shows , the legal restriction to get people together playing music and the free time for people on its own doing music will affect the future of music , music biz , etc....

[@heythere6983]

I write in different tempos and this is something I think of. I have very good timing and am planning on doing the drums myself. Thing is, I need to probably use superior drummer or Slate drums. So I dont know how recording different tempos works with the drum parts in those programs. I havent bought a DAW yet, but have my interface, A good mic about to arrive, interface and Yamaha HS8 speakers im going to pick up. I am leaning towards Logic, I see there is a thing with logic where you can play to your own tempo and it adjusts the tempo to your playing. Im not sure what that means, if it somehow fits parts to your tempo as needed. Anyone know? I once had a self proclaimed producer try to record me, he wanted me to play to a click, problem was, my song changed tempo 3 times, I was trying to record the guitar, he wouldn't let me record without a click to a specific tempo. He was banging on his keyboard, what a loser. He was using logic. This was years ago. He also couldn't believe I could double my guitar and play the rhythm right again, he thought I suppose I was strumming without thinking about it and not thats how I wrote the song. Lol. Pretty sure he isnt working on music anymore.

[@BopsStudios]

when collaborating with folks, I ask they run a drum mix or a click, only to keep things in tact. my 2 cents

[@yrebrac]

Back in Black not in perfect time? Mind blown. 🤯 It's *perfectly* in the pocket though

[@Producelikeapro]

Exactly Ben! Yes, the song sounds amazing!

[@olialimusic]

If your in a band sometimes it is cool not recording to a click

[@cary3428]

A click is not at all required to make great records. It can be counterproductive to making great feeling organic music. Having said that, I use a click regularly. The larger question is, can you play to a click track? At the end of my day it’s all about the needs of the song and the client.

[@LunaticTheCat]

Ya, there are some types of music a click would suck the life out of. The band Swans comes to mind as a band that could never play along with a click.

[@andrewcurtis4568]

Do you have a Frequently Unasked Questions segment?

[@Producelikeapro]

Haha sure, give me any question, audio related of course and I’ll try and unanswer it ha

[@MiloCarrete]

Click track is great for precision.

[@Scott__C]

With a high gain amp like an ENGL, another thing is to simply try to lower the gain a bit if it's harsh. if the song sounds good before a click, it's OK. Don't be a slave to a click at the expense of the song.

[@TheBelse]

I run my synths at cycles per beat ..and use electronic drums ...we write electronic music. I'd be insistent for the stuff I do.

[@duncanmarshall241]

Not audio related...but that chiaroscuro look for the video with dark background is very aesthetically pleasing.! Probably covid isolation related but I think you should take it up for all your 'talking head' vids. Also, I particularly love it those times when your hairstyle has verged on Eraser Head territory.

[@darleschickens7106]

I’ve always had a sort of philosophy around recording that high budget gear isn’t a prerequisite to good production, you just have to put a bit of extra effort getting inexpensive gear up to that level. I haven’t ever really actively tested this idea though. How far do you think you can get, with inexpensive gear and lots of hard work, to our favourite pristine productions? Especially with how powerful digital consumer technology is becoming...is there a limit? For example, can you theoretically deal with the issue of the bedroom acoustics, by just putting extra time and effort into mic placement, makeshift acoustic treatment etc. ? How close do you think a master producer such as yourself can get to achieving your desired sound working in a small apartment sized bedroom with the most basic of consumer grade gear these days with the digital tech available?

[@zachary963]

Flying Burrito I’ve used a 75 dollar pawn shop guitar in an untreated room and a SM57 on the amp, and it actually sounded pretty great. I totally agree with you, and I think that the producer generally has more to do when we work with cheaper gear like that, but I don’t think that having inexpensive gear means you have to sound like a teenager recording into his phone.

[@aryehwiznitzer9060]

The biggest hurdle is always going to be drum sound. You'll never get drums in a bad room to sound like drums in a good room. Everything else you can basically fake.

[@zachary4670]

Aryeh Wiznitzer it is possible to fix a bad sounding. If you’re on a budget, the drums is definitely where you wanna spend your money, but you can fix it. If you have good close mics, use those and create an artificial room. I have a convolution reverb with a wooden kitchen that i love for creating a room sound. If your close mics sound bad too... well then I guess you’re using samples lol. Btw Rick Beato has a video on fixing badly recorded drums

[@darleschickens7106]

I agree with all of the above replies. I thought to ask this because of the “if you’ve got a good preamp...” stuff regarding guitar tone, it reminded me of another video I saw a while back, possibly on this very channel, where a successful producer stated his favourite guitar tone comes from using the cheapest, scrappiest behringer mic preamp and an SM57 flat against the grill of the guitar amp. It got me wondering how much inexpensive gear gets used in studios and how much of, what we the listener perceive to be a “studio” sound, in actuality comes from inexpensive gear. I agree that drums are....let’s say, “challenging” to record on a budget. To what extent, I wonder, can you EQ out a bad room sound. Also, how much of what we perceive to be “bad” sound vs “good” sound comes from existing norms? Kind of like how many feel analogue sounds better, and many digital technologies attempt to reproduce it, but it’s really just to replicate the saturation we associate with having a nice “warm” sound, but much of that comes from our familiarity with that sound and not necessarily it being objectively “good”. A case could be made for digital being “objectively better” because it, on the whole, has fewer artefacts. Although many would argue that analogue artefacts sound “good” and digital artefacts, as few as they are, when they do occur sound “bad”.

[@aryehwiznitzer9060]

@@darleschickens7106 All good points. Might be veering into territory here that is just preference or personal opinion. But I don't think any amount of eq or reverb or whatever is going to fix bad drums. The problem is that the end product might end up sounding OK, but it's going to be very processed and unnatural to what the actual drums sound like. I'm sure some of you guys have had those overtone problems before, so you know how annoying that type of work can be.

[@tanguyf742]

The click feels a bit unnatural, I face this problem in DAW like ableton where you have to set a bmp and you cannot record like on a tape. On tape you have the speed of the tape and record on your own timing, used to do this on cassette or recently on my op1. It is much more fun, you can experience with different speeds. I could not achieve this in a Daw you always have to set a bmp. Or maybe someone has a way to record on a daw with similar behavior as tapes ? I dream to have ableton allowing audiotracks overdub and more unquantized workflow

[@heathceccato2953]

Jazz to a click would be unusual wouldn't it?