Does anyone here play to a click track? I've got a drummer who isn't the most accurate with his timing and ends up following my playing more than the other way round - which mostly works in terms of keeping in time, but it does mean that I have to play quite rhythmically rather than being free to embelish as I'd like to.
So for those who do play to a click, how do you find it? Does it take away the fun of playing live and make you play more robotically? Or is it great because you sounds tighter without a huge amount of effort?
Just for info, sacking the drummer isn't an option as the whole thing is just a bit of fun among friends, and he's great in lots of other ways.
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Comments
It makes a lot of sense if songs need to be at a particular tempo, say for example because if it's too fast there are parts that can't be performed properly. Or if you were using some kind of backing tracks and need them to line up, ditto any MIDI changes etc.
The thing is if you play a click track and the drummer can't keep in time with it then it's a pointless exercise, it'll end up causing more problems than it solves. The click itself doesn't make the band tighter, the players still have to be able to play evenly and in time, it just gives a central reference point.
What might be more beneficial is to see if you can get the drummer to practice to a metronome. Ideally a little slower than the tempo of the songs, so they can work on really being in time. Or even to try playing to a metronome in a rehearsal and see how that goes, chances are if they can't keep time now it'll take them a while to build up the skill of playing in time, maybe best to not try to jump straight into using it live.
I don't know what kind of music you're doing, but IMO a click track probably isn't needed for a typical pub covers band who don't use any additional backing tracks.
I'd much rather hear and play music that ebbs and flows in tempo as any other musical dynamic.
hmmm, time to rethink - although maybe having something during rehearsals would help. I like @Roland 's idea of a specific light for the drummer to sub-consciously play in time too!