Great content Will, I play with three different groups, one is a regular band with no click where a song could change each time we play it. I also play with a worship team doing large conferences around the country. We use a click for everything and many songs have accompanied tracks. My third group is a full on classic rock show with about 20 lanes in ableton controlling everything from midi patches to all stage lighting and synchronized video. I completely agree with you that it's up to the person or group and totally dependant on what you are trying to do. I think most people who are against using a click either can't or are too lazy to do it because it does take preparation, but it will tighten up your band instantly if you are able to do it. Thanks for the videos, as somewhat of an ableton newbie I appreciate the content. Also loved your "moms basement" comments and totally agree. Lol
Man listen! You have helped me (Us) out so much you have no idea! You are very much appreciated by all of us! Thank you for all you do! This is great content Will!!!!!
As always, mature & musician focused content Will - for those small in-the-moment gigging bands driven by their backline why not start by using a real human click drummer with a Tap Tempo footswitch... :)
I can play click, practice with it daily and have recorded many songs with one. I choose not to because the majority of my favorite bands function in that way. It's usually the long lasting collaborative bands that pull it off well. I agree most people that are against it probably can't, but I think it takes arguably a more skilled drummer to pull off a great set without a click. Players who can play a show with click and tracks are a dime a dozen, they're easy to swap in and out. There's only one Steve Gadd or Stewart Copeland though, they're more rare player types. I think most people aren't on that level of playing though which is why click is probably best solution for most new artists.
You shouldn’t if… You don’t plan to implement tracks, timecoded video, or lighting. You don’t need it if most of your congregation started going to your church because they got tired of attending their bigger more complex churches and or megachurches. You don’t need them when you have a drummer with solid time keeping. You don’t need them when you don’t necessarily care about copying the original recording. Also, (shocking fact) you don’t need to use ALL the 21st century tech to do a contemporary worship service! 😀
Also, just because you play a certain genre of worship music that seems to be packed full of click and tracks doesn’t MEAN you have to play it like that! You can take a more artistic-creative and less produced approach, AND still perform the genre well!
I’m so sad to have found your channel right after I quit my band. There are so many topics you’ve brought up in the video’s so far, that would have helped me figuring out Ableton Live and the use of click and tracks in general. I’ve pushed my band into using in-ear, click and eventually tracks with some songs. And found that even after having developed my personal workflow, your videos still streamlined what I’ve found so far. Also I totally agree with your objections. It took some of my band member half a year to keep their IEMs in during rehearsal, and we’ve ran off the click so many times, occasionally someone even accused my laptop from being off 😂. Anyway it hugely helped us getting a more steady band. Great content!
