Tempo Follower Problems
Tempo Follower Problems
I'm new to Ableton, and I'm trying to figure out how best to use the tempo follower function with live acoustic drums.
I tried using an overhead mic as input, but if I'm just playing the hihat, the level is too low to trigger. If I use a hihat mic, when not playing the hihat, it's too low to trigger.
I watched a video of this in action, and they made it seem like you could move all over the kit, do rolls or whatever, and it would follow...I'm getting very erratic results.
Any help would be great.
Thanks.
I tried using an overhead mic as input, but if I'm just playing the hihat, the level is too low to trigger. If I use a hihat mic, when not playing the hihat, it's too low to trigger.
I watched a video of this in action, and they made it seem like you could move all over the kit, do rolls or whatever, and it would follow...I'm getting very erratic results.
Any help would be great.
Thanks.
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... lowing-FAQ
It needs "clearly defined rhythmic structure", it is probably trying to find the beats, quarter notes if you are at 4/4 (not sure it cares about the Set's time sig, there is a chance it always expects 4/4).
Not a drummer but I think Hihats are usually faster, like 1/8 or 1/16, either Tempo Follower just kinda ignores them, or tries to fit hihats into "normal" hihat playing, assuming like 1/8 or 1/16.
I think it takes the current BPM into account, so if you are at 100 BPM and suddenly start banging super fast, it will treat those as 1/16, 1/32 notes (or like a roll or fill) at a 101 or something BPM, not like 1/4 notes at 283 BPM.
It definitely doesn't treat every loud single drum hit like a tap in the tap tempo button (which does assume every tap is beat at 4/4, that is a 1/4 note).
It needs "clearly defined rhythmic structure", it is probably trying to find the beats, quarter notes if you are at 4/4 (not sure it cares about the Set's time sig, there is a chance it always expects 4/4).
Not a drummer but I think Hihats are usually faster, like 1/8 or 1/16, either Tempo Follower just kinda ignores them, or tries to fit hihats into "normal" hihat playing, assuming like 1/8 or 1/16.
I think it takes the current BPM into account, so if you are at 100 BPM and suddenly start banging super fast, it will treat those as 1/16, 1/32 notes (or like a roll or fill) at a 101 or something BPM, not like 1/4 notes at 283 BPM.
It definitely doesn't treat every loud single drum hit like a tap in the tap tempo button (which does assume every tap is beat at 4/4, that is a 1/4 note).
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Re: Tempo Follower Problems
It does, just like:
So, you should first define your time sig and approximate BPM for Tempo Follower to get in the correct mood.
Ableton Forum Moderator
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
Thanks for the replies.
I have set the time signature and start with the tempo at the general BPM.
I think it would be good if you could have control over what the follower hears, or maybe have the option to input more than one input channel, etc.
I'll keep messing around with it and see if I can get more consistent results.
There is a version of this called Beatseeker, I guess it's an old version? Is it exactly the same?
Thanks.
I have set the time signature and start with the tempo at the general BPM.
I think it would be good if you could have control over what the follower hears, or maybe have the option to input more than one input channel, etc.
I'll keep messing around with it and see if I can get more consistent results.
There is a version of this called Beatseeker, I guess it's an old version? Is it exactly the same?
Thanks.
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
Hello.
It depends of your soundcard, "tempo follower" listens one hardware channel but (internally or externally) you can feed this input with lot of different stuff in the same time.
It depends of your soundcard, "tempo follower" listens one hardware channel but (internally or externally) you can feed this input with lot of different stuff in the same time.
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
I recently got the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20. Do you know if it's possible with that?
Or how I would set that up internally/externally, etc?
Thanks.
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
I can listen to a stereo input, so it's up to you to sum as many channel as needed before feeding Tempo Follower.
Ableton Forum Moderator
Re: Tempo Follower Problems
Typo on my end of course, I meant "it can listen..."
Ableton Forum Moderator