The Mystery of Click Tracks and Studio Edits

Deep Purple Drummer Ian Paice demonstrates his use of Click Tracks in the studio setting, and how Pro Tools is used in Post Performance Editing.

[@crispyrobot77]

Ian Paice is the only click track you'll ever need.

[@Darksideofpinkfloyddrummer]

Purple always played songs a tad fast live and you can frequently hear Paice speeding up, it particularly noticeable on MKII live recordings. It's not a criticism as he's had the biggest influence on my own playing. Live performances are noticeably more disciplined in the Morse era. A really interesting video 👍🏻

[@Midgard95Band]

Amen!

[@MichaelMaxwell747]

@@Darksideofpinkfloyddrummer I would submit that a lot of bands play faster live. Then there are many live songs that are excruciatingly slow.

[@deadshot4245]

For me some of the best drummers are. Jeff porcaro, Ian paice,

[@mattiasjansson733]

I wish more well-known musicians would do what you do. Hearing the craftman talking about the craft is always enlightening and informative. Thanks for this.

[@isihernandez9752]

Absolutely

[@dirtydave2691]

Having one of my favorite drummers releasing technique videos is magic. Never would have imagined this 40 years ago. I thought I was pretty advanced buying a Tommy Aldrich VHS instructional tape in the 80s! I have practiced with a click track but never recorded with one.

[@KiwiExpressCream]

Click or no click, Ian Paice's playing is just sublime!

[@RG-ja34sep]

How lucky are we to have a living legend explaining to us how it’s done. This is pure gold and I absolutely love this channel. Thanks Ian, you are so genuine and humble.

[@mikeogurec]

This channel is the best thing that happened to KZbin in the past decade. We all have an amazing chance to witness a legend directly talking to us! How cool is that?

[@johng7265]

Love the way Ian gets away from the click with odd time fills to make the recording human. Absolute gentleman too.!

[@waltonbrown]

'I did play everything, I just maybe didn't play it all at the same time', classic quote from a class player and demonstrates the digital age :):)

[@rubytuesday1345]

I love Ian’s use of the word ‘humanity’. It’s what my late father who was an architect said that CAD lacked. Love Ian’s work.

[@nygardenguru]

Chief was the most innovative, original rock drummer of all time in my book.

[@mikeplaysdrums23]

I used to hate playing with a click, now I have learned to embrace it. I set my click tone to something not so MIDI computer sounding so it becomes more like playing with a percussionist who has perfect time. I'll say this though, when you're playing to a click you're always in time, no matter what the guitarist says. It does help to settle some disagreements. The click track don't lie.

[@isihernandez9752]

I like the way you move your hand on your snare, you're like spreading butter on a toast... 😋 Great talking, great playing and great channel, it's very informative and interesting, and I greatly appreciate that you take the time to make it. Really, it's very helpful.

[@Axefiend777]

That extra 20 seconds is GOLD! I love hearing those not fade outs. Cheers Ian!!

[@TheSkydogsguitar]

This is a great example of why I love this channel. Mr. Paice enjoys teaching.....and I enjoy learning!

[@tomcoryell]

My absolute favorite rock drummer ever. Thank you Ian!

[@McCormickfarrier]

I remenber, you´ve been talking ´bout clicktracks about 34 years ago, in an interview with Pete York! Man, i loved Superdrumming.... Thanx for this vlog, an THANK YOU VERY MUCH for beeing one of my idols for over 40 years now, since the day i heard "smoke..." for the first time... God bless you!

[@anthonyp-gx3mk]

This is a great channel, sharing all his wisdom/experience and stories while his still alive. Most of the videos on recording stuff that is this detailed are session musicians. So it’s great to see it from a famous much loved drummer!

[@michaelmuller6302]

I love you Ian. One of my heroes ever! With Bonham and al little few others.

[@riccardotomadrumtribe3261]

Thanks Mr. Ian Paice ... good .... you are the god of drums .... Thanks for everything ... Keep it up ... You are in our hearts ... Thanks

[@windsurfer49]

"Wow" Facinating, I alway love "FadeOuts" on songs, that keep on rockin" and creating "Rat Bat Blue" I wished had gone on longer" drums are great on that song"

[@joerico9461]

Thank you for your time. Reminds me of the old days when they would have a studio musician do a part that a band member could not , Hal Blaine comes to mind.

[@TheMarman57]

I still remember the sound of the first digital metronome I played along to in a studio; ding, ding, ding, beep....ding, ding, ding, beep!!! Ahh memories.

[@SentientNr6]

I understand why this is being used but I am still happy they didn't use this on the MkII albums. I love the energy and flow on those records.

[@thomasbauer7534]

Extremely interesting this view behind the scenes. Thanks a lot!

[@drsamurai009]

So awesome to see a master explain something like a click track. So many musicians confuse a click track with quantization. There is a video talking about if you quantize John Bohnam the feel is lost and that's absolutely true. But if you take a song and create a tempo map following the drum track like Kashmir, while it is played live and with feel, it speeds up and slows down only a little and it doesn't get that far off from an average tempo. Some musicians can play to a click and some say it ruins their feel. While some songs have tempo changes and swing feel changes, it doesn't mean it should sound sloppy. If a musician can't play to a click track when they need to, then my impression is they're mostly lazy or they don't know how to stay locked in. You don't have to sound robotic, but you should be able to follow a click.

[@NihilQuest]

While I agree that quantization is horrible, that Rick Beato video is bullshit (surprisingly). And here you can actually see Ian "fixing" his "mistake" by doing exactly that. He lines up the beat with the grid. That's quantization. I don't think they do it extensively like other bands, which is the main problem with quantization but still, that's Deep Purple, one of the greatest live bands of all time, they shouldn't do that (or play with a click) at all.

[@harisk1]

​@@NihilQuest Quantization is just another studio tool. It's neither good nor bad. If used sparingly it's very helpful in correcting minor mistakes, like a misplaced hit or small fluctuations in the tempo. If overused, it can make you sound robotic, so why not just program the drums in the first place and be done with it. There's no reason to demonize it. Also, in this day and age, a professional drummer needs to be able to play to a click (and still sound human and groove), if he/she wants to survive in the industry.

[@ScienceTalkwithJimMassa]

Basically, clicktrack is a digital metronome. This is why I still prefer analog recordings. You record what the instruments (and singers) actually did. There was no fit to a grid recordings. There was no trying to convert audio signals into bytes, into strings of 0's and 1's. I remember when CDs first came out. I enjoy Baroque music especially when played on period instruments. When CDs first came out of such recordings, they were just god awful. Main reason was trying to get 418 tuning to fit modern 440 tuning (because the computer was programmed as such). It was several years before that got sorted out (which involved reprogramming the software to record the bytes for 418 tuning, not as 440 among other fixes). Don't even get me going on compression....

[@905Alive]

This is great, thanks Ian. I myself hate click tracks, way before they became the norm I developed a kind of humming in my head along with my counts and it's second nature to me, sort of my own click track, to have something added now drives me crazy and is a distraction. I also feel something has been most in many of today's recordings with time that is too perfect, there's no feeling some times, that little movement you describe is exactly what I have argued with other musicians on, if band and drummer are good it shouldn't be noticeable but it's there and it's a feeling, and music should have feeling, not just go tic tok perfectly. Some people like Steve Perry of Journey say they look for drummers with what they call a lazy left hand or lazy snare, it's just miliseconds off but gives the song a human quality and groove that listeners can get into.

[@ClaimOfRightMuso]

I have so much respect for Ian Paice. I saw him couple of times around '73/'74 at Glasgow's Apollo, with DP, and I never thought all these years later I'd be thoroughly engrossed in his excellent videos. He has such a relaxed and informal, but always riveting, approach to presentation. Incidentally, am I the only one who hears a signature Ian Paice 'feel' at 10:57, when his Hi-hat work is so reminiscent of 'My Woman From Tokyo'? Thanks, Ian.

[@CarolineDW]

It’s great to have such a highly esteemed player such as yourself highlighting your own edits. I’ve always looked up to you as a player, so this has helped me. I have been going in the studio for 25 yrs and off and when digital came in and I had to play to a click, I worked at it. But when I didn’t get the snare bang on the click or pulled away, I beat myself up or the producer criticised me for going off grid! I had a snare or cymbal corrected once or twice and thought I wasn’t a great player. I always got the take and didn’t take too long and now I realise it’s perfectly normal and I’m not a crap drummer.....I so related to when you said the tempo in your head is always slightly faster than the click initially and it takes a few takes! I try and practice to a click now with my band to prepare for studio work. You are amazing and these videos are so brilliant. X

[@gordy3714]

It's pretty astonishing how great the quality is on Made in Japan considering what it was recorded on.

[@marcioisrael05]

Mister Ian Paice 🥁 sou seu fã.minha inspiração desde quanto passei a gostar de bateria. Adoro te ver tocar e copiei suas técnicas no jeito de tocar. Ver vc tocar os pratos é top demais quebrando os punhos ao tocar os pratos ✌️✌️✌️🤜🤛😎😎😎

[@Diggerdog2nd]

Playing to a click always makes me feel like the click is wrong. Really shows you how good your timing really is.

[@carlkolthoff5402]

By recording myself to click about a hundred times in my home studio, I've come to a few conclusions. First off, I need the click to be louder than the drums in the headphone mix, otherwise my playing sounds very hesitant, like it lacks flow and determination. Secondly, I've now mounted a computer screen in front of the drums that displays a visual metronome synced to the daw. This is hugely helpful since it not only shows the actual clicks, but also the swing in between them. I much prefer the visual metronome to the audible. It helps me keeping time without sounding like a robot.

[@josephtravers777]

Playing ahead of the beat as Ian describes is usually caused by tension. I finally noticed this after decades of playing. When I feel more relaxed, everything seems to sound and feel much better. It makes sense that there is more tension when first approaching a piece until you feel comfortable with it.

[@MichaelMaxwell747]

@@carlkolthoff5402 For me being able to see the waveforms really helps a lot. I am not one who counts things out very well unless it's 4/4.

[@jamesroberts3231]

Love this rock band they are the best my wife is a fan for many years

[@robwalton2276]

Thanks I love hearing the music after the fade. I always wanted to hear Jon’s solo carry on after the fade in Solitaire.

[@pepealonzo415]

Thanks for all the videos Mr. Ian you are the best !!!!!

[@laurieharper1526]

Thanks Ian. You're so right about thinking the click is too slow when you start out. I have exactly the same experience. It's as if I have to let the adrenaline calm down a bit before I'm really sitting with it comfortably. I'm not a drummer, but I find these videos fascinating and very helpful for focussing on the subtleties of timing/accents.

[@Cosmic-Mick]

Wow good to see and hear what goes on. Thanks for showing us Ian. Not like “A few red lights and a few old beds” days haha.

[@PlayAcousticDrums]

Digital technology and the click track have drained the soul out of a recording. No swing, no groove, no feel. Just imagine Deep Purples Burn or Maybe I'm a Leo without Mr. Paice's signature feel. Or John Bonhams Kashmire or When the Levee Breaks. Music was never intended to be perfect, play it again and splice together the good bits. Now its punch in punch out. I have been around long enough to have recorded on tape. Just sounds and feels better.

[@onazram1]

I have to agree, the human element is disappearing into machine like perfection when our ear's are still analog.. Give me the old taps reel any day... I know digital has opened up great possibility's for recording sound and edit.

[@CarolineDW]

I listen back to my old analogue recordings minus click and they sound absolutely fine with a solid groove. I do play to a click now, but producers have become obsessed with being on grid....it really gets on my nerves! ...and don’t get me started on quantising!!

[@PlayAcousticDrums]

@@CarolineDW You can't elongate notes or add feel or as I said swing it a bit..It's all freakin Dream Theater!!! We have been working on new original material and the engineer keeps pushing for a click. So we acquiesced and said ok sure. Well, tunes change time signatures, and its very movement, swing, and groove-based. At some points playing different time signatures that technically I'm playing in 4x4 but the guitar is in 7x8 or 6x9 and the turn isn't at 4 or 8 and there are elongated notes and phrases, so he would have to program the click to each part...he gave up. Quantizing is greek for dehumanizing.

[@PlayAcousticDrums]

@FresnoCAPunkrockMetalHardcore OldFigGang CA West Coast! HA! South Bay baby!

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

I can understand the need for click tracks on pop music that often has dozens, if not hundreds, of different tracks that all have to work together; but I'll never understand the need for a click with a 3-5 piece rock band where if the tempo gets a bit off it just sounds more live, real, and natural anyway.

[@LAstudio8]

Your videos are great. I’m a long time Deep Purple fan, and here I get to listen to my favorite drummer explain the nuts and bolts of drumming.🤝

[@chiaramazzotti]

Che grande artista e che grande umiltà e umanità! PAICE il maestro dei maestri.

[@thefacts5394]

Interesting stuff Ian. I have been recording since the early 80s so I'm familiar with the technology and DP were the first band I ever saw (Portsmouth Guildhall Sept 1971 with Hard Stuff supporting) The point I want to make is that the great bands made great albums without the use of click tracks and the sound of a band playing dynamically with tempo and timing changes. That is the real sound of music. I have played in many situations (mostly in the world music field in the last 20 years) and you cannot replicate the real sound of tempo changes by using a tempo map on a DAW. Yes, you can do all sorts of edits to a tempo track but it is not the same as a band looking at each other for those changes. What about those passages where Ritchie and Ian would go off into their little improv battles in Purple, and the way you, Roger and Jon would support that? This is why nobody makes classic albums anymore - the whole thing has become too sanitised with the ProTools/Cubase/Logic mentality of recording.

[@thoughts_are_free]

This is why nobody makes classic albums anymore - the whole thing has become too sanitised with the ProTools/Cubase/Logic mentality of recording. YES TRUE... so true and so sad... and when you hear a live version... often it feels much better ... because no click track... we're loosing more and more the human feeling... timing and groove while playing to click tracks... we're recording now without click tracks... like the old fashioned way... that worked for 50 years + no need for those extra edits... if the music is good and played well... no need for those things ... but you all know... there are many people now who make there living with click track editing and putting things in time in a DAW ... so they will not let you ... ;-) ... the point is if you have a good drummer .. no need for click track ;-)

[@stevegriffiths4954]

That was mega!! Really interesting stuff. More please!🙂👍

[@TeamLuka]

Razzle Dazzle is such an under-rated song. One of my all time favourites from an under-rated album, up there with their top ones, Bananas!

[@AmpolyB]

It is so much fun to see and hear the Master at work!!!

[@totodiaz3446]

Wonderful. Thank you for sharing your incredible skills and work. Never get bored or tired of your moments. Gracias. Rock on Ian. 🤘🏾🔥

[@glennharmes1629]

Fascinating stuff from my teenage hero!

[@Rammbock]

Wonderful video, Ian! Thanks a lot.

[@mjmpeace]

It is so fine, to hear such things about your work the last weeks. Thank you! Your new CD is super!

[@RyanMatt]

fascinating getting the detail Paicey !

[@Gudebrothers]

Thank you, Mr Paice! Good stuff!

[@jimbradshaw4]

Not much to add to all the other comments here - but it does occur to me that trying to get somebody like Gene Krupa play to a click would have been bloody impossible and, thanks to his being the driving force within the band, the music is better than it would have been in that hypothetical scenario. But anyway, thank you for yet another fascinating video. So enjoyable!

[@RobinsBookClub]

Thank you for these videos and I must say it's amazing to hear things like how razzle dazzle goes after the fade out, love that insight :)

[@micolsen8895]

Thank you, Ian. Love your new album, Whoosh!

[@markchaves6946]

awesome drummer and a gentleman as well.

[@ScienceTalkwithJimMassa]

Very Interesting))) Thank you Mr. Paice for sharing))

[@classicrockcentral2560]

This is awesome content Ian, can't wait for your next clip cheers!

[@LostMyMojo100]

Ian, I don't know if you read any of this stuff but thanks for everything!!! Helluva career and you're not done yet!... From a guitar player...

[@pjdahmen]

Thank you for the great tutorial and well done

[@robertosilveira2384]

Thank you Mr Paice!!

[@mithraparast7041]

Thank you for sharing informations, result of years of experiences and talent

[@robertjacob5dmk3]

another great video .thank you for sharing .

[@rickblackers88]

Wow!!!! lesson with the greatest!

[@alansutherland193]

Very cool presentation!

[@4x4.tests.on.rollers]

What a great video, thank you!!!

[@luisfernando-mm3jt]

You are the reason I play drums

[@nohunkpapa]

you are a natural born teacher

[@ronnienose8608]

When Paicey joined Whitesnake he started to play less like his old wonderfully inventive self and was more straight in his approach. I'd heard that it was Coverdale that wanted him to play more straight like many American rock drummers. I don't know it this is true but why get the great Ian Paice if you don't him to play like himself? He became more straight with Gary Moore, and by the time Perfect Strangers came out it could have been anyone because it doesn't sound like him, which I think is a shame. Perhaps he'd been pushed in to using click tracks by then and it didn't feel natural to him and he struggled to adjust to it. When you have someone as good as this man you should let him be the click and the band reacts to what he does. Live he was more like his old self and by the time The Battle Rages On was released I think he had become a little more comfortable with a click, plus the drum sound is really good on that album. He'll always be my favourite drummer - listen to how he adds different things to the same songs live over three gigs on the Live In Japan triple CD set, just wonderful. Tommy Bolin was blown away by him and thought he was even better than Billy Cobham.

[@maddiefrench21]

For me Ian Paice has always delivered with that signature swing. The parts have sometimes been straight forward, but, wasn't that just a sing of the times (musical taste of the times)? If you listen to say Cozy Powell.. during 80s - 90s, Cozy was a straight forward heavy hitter type drummer, without much in the way of thrills and fills. But compare that with Cozy playing in late 60s early 70s with Jeff Beck, and it's almost a completely different drummer. I always preferred the old recording method, but Ive played with click and it's OK when used for minor corrections, you can still get the feel in there..The thing that I feel ruins a lot of modern music/playing is when a track is completely quantised. This for me completely takes out the drummers pocket and swing. But that's not what we are talking about with click track alone.

[@bartrobinson2103]

Ronnie I agree 100%. Great comments I've always thought the same thing.

[@sn00pgreen]

that's a valid point..also bear in mind as you get older you're not as sharp as when you're young, you're ears tend to go a bit ..i found exactly that..and also you're dead right about having it beat out of you by keep it straight producers and record companies..music died a lot when digital came along, and just watching Ian play you can see all he's worried about is keeping that perfect 2/4 ..it was never like that in the seventies, we just went for it

[@maddiefrench21]

@@AlbertEinsteinSpock just to add.. totally agree with you regards "Perfect Strangers" and the title track in particular is sublime.

[@gregoneil3523]

Thanks Ian, that was very informative. I do enjoy those DVDs of you all playing in the studio, it's a must buy for me. Much respect, for playing anything with that click track ringing in your ears. So distracting. Loved the tracks that didn't make it into the album, especially the outtro of Steve letting rip. Perhaps the next album could be called "Unhinged" or "Unleashed" and Bob could let go Steve's reins, sure would be interesting. One of the reasons I love Burn and You Fool No-one, it sounds like you're free to soar. That's what Rock music is about. Stay safe.

[@dalesanders7571]

Thank you Ian.

[@denis_w1wv131]

Thanks Ian!

[@MichaelMaxwell747]

I really love the lyrics to razzle dazzle!

[@afargreencountry6324]

Great explanation.

[@nicodrumsheaven]

Thanks so much maestro ian paice. 💜🔥🔝dp

[@ARDUNNO]

This kinda explains to me ..one of the reasons. why music from the 50's 60's 70's seemed to have a better feel or more soul....than much more of the music that came after..

[@JEZABEL-INMORT4L]

Great video!!

[@juliandominique0912]

Thank you!! Absolutely interesting. :)

[@labontetrevor]

What a fucking cool dude and a great bloke. Also a sensational player. Cheers and thank you for this video.

[@karlosed]

Thanks maestro.

[@marc8865]

Thank you 🍀

[@covering-some-things]

very educational....thank you

[@MichaelMaxwell747]

When I do bass tracks I tend to get behind more than ahead. I totally agree that it often takes more takes but then there is usually something about a decent first take that I tend to love, warts and all.

[@amusicvideoblair]

so good to see and hear, you, Ian! talking shop and not just performing; though I've always enjoyed your work/talent. Glad to see you alive and well ! See you again soon? and after all this Lockdown COVID-19 'stuff' +

[@alangreenway6695]

When I drum to a click track, I speed up and down all over the the place. I’m sticking to the fact I’m doing it because of humanity.

[@benjamingaray5660]

I would try upping the subdivision to 8th notes to give you more reference points. Should help even out your subdivisions.

[@itgoez211]

beautiful swinging lilt!

[@rubengonzalez9045]

Thanks, TEACHER.

[@khaz606]

I find it easier playing with16th's on the click rather than 8th's. Thanks for the vids Mr P

[@mityaypolov6118]

Mister Paice don't need any electronic device. He self is computer. I like this musician.

[@td-12kx53]

Very interesting!

[@massapower]

Phil Rudd is the master of Click Tracks and IAN PIACE just knocks it outta the park.. IAN doesn't need clicks 😎🤟

[@ARGBlackCloud]

Yep I have that issue as well always want to play it first time faster. The real fun comes when your playing live to backing tracks. If your not on, no-one is !!

[@karapetiansdrumschool.667]

SUPER

[@williamlee6358]

thank you

[@MrFchank]

MAESTRO!!

[@roberth.5185]

Listen to "Pictures of Home" and get all the click tracks you want. Paice is a great drummer.

[@SouthCircinus]

Loving so much these "Bananas" drum videos, Ian! Would it be possible to have one of these days "Walk on"? Thank You

[@rfelgenio349]

Viejo sabio. Ian Anderson paice

[@martymartin2894]

Who said the drums need to stay exactly at the same beat all the time to sound good on a song I don't get it.

[@backslash68]

I might be wrong, but I think click tracks were used also in the analog recording era, let' say 1977-1987 especially to record dance music. The point then was only to have a steady beat. Think about Heart Of Glass by Blondie for instance, recorded in 1978, they used a Roland CR-78 drum machine as a cue to the drummer, and they left it in the final mix too.

[@estudiopaulob9735]

Gentleman !

[@stefan_hauk]

That drum track you edited sounded familiar! Hahaha!

[@evaristopadua5295]

Thats it !!! 👊🏻

[@danielrobertodesa2683]

Un grande