Sequence beat tracks

[Jim Curtis]

I am starting to get going with my sequencing for my first year and wonder if there are any "experienced" sequencers (is that a word?) out there that have developed a method of beat tracks. I have been trying to figure out the best way to set up beat tracks including not only the song beat, but also the different elements of a song, ie drums, guitar, voice, etc.

I have a couple of the "classics" almost done, and set up a preview also.

Looking for someone to both give input to my approach, as well as see if I am repeating others efforts that is a duplication of time and effort. I would be glad to share what I have done to get feed back.

[barbotte]

have you try to pick a channel with nothing on it ..then play the song and everytime you need a beat click in the space bar on keyboard that will show you a beat ..or you can also used the visualor ..that is not the best visualor out there but it will show you diferenct tone or beat
cheer

[WWNF911]

have you try to pick a channel with nothing on it ..then play the song and everytime you need a beat click in the space bar on keyboard that will show you a beat


Not only that, but on those critical rhythms, slow the speed down and use the same technique. ;)

Leon

[chilloutdocdoc]

Yeah, I definitely agree with the two above posts. I just started showing the rest of my family how to sequence. First I get them acquanited with using Vixen. (channels on, off, fade, basic effects). Then I tell them to listen to the song and just imagine the effects, what they want to see. (a bit artsy, but this is an art). Then I set them up with the beat matching.

After I get the event timing right, I click on a channel (click on the actual grid, not the channel name) and then I'll set the playback speed to 1/2 or 3/4 (depends on the speed of the song) I hit the play button, and tap the spacebar like barbotte mentioned. You may need to do this a few times (each time on a different channel) to get the feel for the song, you'll pick it up quickly after doing it a while.
Tip: if your computer lags up in playback, turn off the Advanced Preview. It takes a lot of resources, and you really need the beat timings to be spot on.

[dowis]

How about using tap tempo? I have used it for a couple of songs and it seems to work well for me. I left two blank channels, one near the top and one a little over half way down and set the top one using the tap tempo add-in and then copy it to the other blank channel so that I can see it when sequencing the lower channels which are mostly arches and the spiral tree. Works well for me. Took a couple of tries to get it right the first time, but after that I'm totally comfortable with it. And it will adjust your event period to get you more on spot with the beat timing.

[chilloutdocdoc]

Very true dowis, forgot to mention Tap Tempo. I use that to set the event timing, but I don't always sync to the beat, so I generally like to tap my own out.

[bud29]

Where do you get this Tap Tempo? I've never heard of it.

[dowis]

Look under add-ins after you create your sequence.

[glaforce]

10443

I don't see it? What am i missing??

[ctmal]

You need to download it...

Tap Tempo (http://lights.onthefive.com/vixen-plugins)

[wonko]

I've used tap tempo a few times, and it works okay. I always have one "master" beat track, then go back and add beat tracks to whatever channel I'm working on that needs a beat. I don't always sequence to the beat either, so it's sort of a "do it as I go" thing. I also do 1/4 and 1/8th beats along with the the regular tempo on separate channels that I have set up for the odd ball stuff. Of course, I always slow the tempo down to about 70% cause my fingers just don't want to move that fast anymore lol.

Brian

[Jim Curtis]

Thanks for all the discussion ... I think I may be going a bit above the norm with what I am doing. I have set up 124 channels which I use 31 for the Frequency spectrum add-in, then have the main beat broken down by whole, half, quarter and eighth beats as well as a beat adjustment (most songs aren't consistant all the way through). I then have around 80 channels for all the different parts of a song, ie bass drum, snare drum, tom toms cymbols, bells, gong, guitars, bass guitars, strings, brass, woodwinds, harps, melody, harmony, and "other".

Maybe a bit to much of a perfectionist that I try to get all the beats as accurate as possible. WAY TOO MUCH OF A PERFECTIONIST, and ANAL. (But like alot on here, I am an Engineer by education and trade.)

I'm sure this sounds very time consuming, but I am starting to find that it REALLY helps as my sequences are developing. I have found a way to get the main beat down real fast and then it actually goes fairly easy after that.

If someone lets me know how to put a file in here (Not real up on how to use this site, or inserting files, etc. being a New-B) I would be glad to start putting my beat tracks out there for others to use if they want. I started with Wizards, and now doing some songs that aren't as common to the blinky flashy world.

[Jim Curtis]

Here is my Intro that I am planning on using .... This is only the section of my sequencing that I do first with all the beats, the adjustable preview is just to show something here ... mine is totally different.

10969

then I build the different display events by doing a lot of copy paste of entire beat channels / and a little manipulation.

Comments ?

[jboyles7]

I tend to take a section of the music and tackle the primary instrament(s) only developing a beat track to that, then move to another part. Later I fill in secondary instraments for that section of the music and "transistion" between the sections of the music. I don't keep the beat tracks on unused channels, rather, I put them on the channel directly above (then copy below) the set of lights I'm animating -- and use Vixen's Channel Order as a means to focus on a color / object etc. etc. My master profile has many channel orders. (All Green, All Blue, segment chase, . . . ) I eventually erase the beat track.

I pick the segment of music I'm working on based on what I "see" in the music. Many of my inital sequences were blank in sections until I figured out what that part should look like based on the music.

This is my most complex sequence: http://www.vimeo.com/17902694

I also found that when you add a beat track as you listen, it is best to copy then paste it back 50ms to allow for the reaction time it took to "press the key".