Click tracks suck. Music isn't supposed to be static.
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Like what, for instance? I have heard the White Stripes doesn't use them -- we are fairly similar to them, though a trio and not as raw sounding. I imagine much of what we think of as classic rock didn't use click tracks. But I haven't heard a lot of specific examples. Would love to, if people know some.
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Rolling Stones are a classic example of it. Asia didn't, and some of their songs sound more unique because Carl Palmer was rushing the heck out of them at just the right time.
Glad it went well. Really that's as much use as we've ever had for a click, but most of our early studio time was with an engineer who was a drummer, a metronome of a drummer who had little to no use for a click himself, and was rather...surly...yeah surly if asked to provide one. Our last engineer was a great believer in click tracks, so we compromised, you can have the click at the beginning, but kill it once the first note is played. Worked out well from our point of view.
What songs weren't tracked to a click? Beatles, Stones, Motown, the classic Stax/Volt catalog, Led Zeppelin, etc. Basically, anything pre-1980s—and a lot after then.
long edit (w/ apologies for indulging the derail, now that the OP has what he needs): emphasis on "basically." Townshend's synth-driven tracks are the earliest pop-rock songs I can think of tracked to machine-produced time. (Anybody know the history of the click track in more detail?)
Courtesy of an old entry in Paul Lamere's Music Machinery blog, look at the tempo variation in "Won't Get Fooled Again" compared to the relatively tight (early 80s) Kraftwerk.
Of course, the pulse of the Who's somewhat drifty analog synths still sounds airtight compared to songs that vary the tempo for effect. Look what Charlie Watts and Stewart Copeland do when able to freewheel the pulse. Check out how Copeland pumps the gas twice during the 1st and 2nd choruses, an initial subtle jolt to the tempo followed by a slightly more aggressive goosing—both choruses accelerating by almost identical amounts and dropping post-chorus to the same tempo. That's not sloppy time; that's feel.
long edit (w/ apologies for indulging the derail, now that the OP has what he needs): emphasis on "basically." Townshend's synth-driven tracks are the earliest pop-rock songs I can think of tracked to machine-produced time. (Anybody know the history of the click track in more detail?)
Courtesy of an old entry in Paul Lamere's Music Machinery blog, look at the tempo variation in "Won't Get Fooled Again" compared to the relatively tight (early 80s) Kraftwerk.
Of course, the pulse of the Who's somewhat drifty analog synths still sounds airtight compared to songs that vary the tempo for effect. Look what Charlie Watts and Stewart Copeland do when able to freewheel the pulse. Check out how Copeland pumps the gas twice during the 1st and 2nd choruses, an initial subtle jolt to the tempo followed by a slightly more aggressive goosing—both choruses accelerating by almost identical amounts and dropping post-chorus to the same tempo. That's not sloppy time; that's feel.
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I don't like click tracks either. I'm not Devo.
If there are issues there are ways to shift it in the DAW. Or, you just do another take. There's always digital mending that needs to be done.
For a rock'n'roll number, pulling out of time isn't a bad thing. It can make the song more musical to write it that way. Mistakes are also a good thing. Every verse doesn't have to be played the same way.
Better for a song to have a natural feel.
If there are issues there are ways to shift it in the DAW. Or, you just do another take. There's always digital mending that needs to be done.
For a rock'n'roll number, pulling out of time isn't a bad thing. It can make the song more musical to write it that way. Mistakes are also a good thing. Every verse doesn't have to be played the same way.
Better for a song to have a natural feel.
Always record clean through a DI. Then you can reamp and spend more time dialing your amp and any pedal in your signal chain.
The drummer is the click track for the song. The band follows that queue. If a click is being used, only the drummer need hear it.
You can fix timing issues digitally. Both protools (elastic audio) and logic (flex time) have a solution.
Logic Pro X - Video Tutorial 18 - Flex Time Part 1 - Polyphonic and Monophonic
Phase issues are another problem. Proper mic placement helps, that's why some folks spend so much time setting up the micing on drums. Phase can affect the alignment in the left and right channels. It's explained here:
Phase Correction Plugin – InPhase | Waves
You can fix timing issues digitally. Both protools (elastic audio) and logic (flex time) have a solution.
Logic Pro X - Video Tutorial 18 - Flex Time Part 1 - Polyphonic and Monophonic
Phase issues are another problem. Proper mic placement helps, that's why some folks spend so much time setting up the micing on drums. Phase can affect the alignment in the left and right channels. It's explained here:
Phase Correction Plugin – InPhase | Waves
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Some studios used a flashing light as a click track. Today you can get a fancy metronome phone app.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I don't like them either, but using them has NOTHING to do with your level of musicianship - many pro bands use them live - off the top of my head:
- Jason Aldean's band is one example, and they are a great group of musicians;
- Kenny Jones used to use one when he toured with the Who I was told;
- The Cars used to use one.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
If your friend set his hair on fire, would you?
Just sayin' - don't use click tracks as an indication of lack of musical ability.
Certainly not! Tons of great musicians have used them. A couple of the reasons I actually buy into, too...like if you're playing live to tracks, you'll want at least the drummer to have a click. And producers like them in case they want to edit your stuff. That way, the edits don't seem so jarring if the tempos are off. But I've always been of the opinion that there are times, like during transitional drum fills, where you might want the tempo to increase slightly so it doesn't sound like the fills are dragging. I found this out while programming drum beats. Sometimes I'd program a fill and it would be dragging, then I'd increase the tempo for just the fill then put it back down when the beat started again and it sounded much better. And then, of course, there are songs like this, where a click would have killed all the excitement:
1.) You will end up doubling your time. You always think it will only so long. Just mic'ing and setting levels on the drums will take an hour easy.
2.) Be patient. See: Setting up drums
3.) Keep your eye on the engineer to make sure he\she isn't slacking to milk you for time, BUT never talk smack to him\her. That's like abusing your waiter before you can your food. BAD IDEA!
Know the material inside and out. Have the BPM figured out. Just worry about getting the beds laid. Listen to the engineers reconditions. He's got far more studio time than you.