Improve your musical time-keeping when recording MIDI instruments

Many modern music recording sessions, and live performances that involve a combination of live performance integrated with pre-recorded backing music and/or pre-programmed lighting and effects, involve the musicians synchronizing their playing to a click-track. This click-track usually takes the form of a series of short percussive sounds transmitted to the performer’s ear-piece, and it allows time-keeping to be much more accurate than would otherwise be likely.

For the home studio user recording with a computer-based sequencer, a click-track is usually available, and takes the form of a MIDI output that is normally converted to a percussive sound by a sound card or MIDI module. The options for the home studio musician who does not have or even want a computer-based system are more limited

This project overcomes these limitations; it connects to the MIDI output of a multi-track recorder or sequencer that offers MIDI clock timing information, and the recorder or sequencer controls the swinging arm l.e.d. display and triggers an audible click at appropriate points. Straight or triple-time feel can be selected, and the device automatically calculates the b.p.m. rate and adds off-beat clicks between beats as appropriate. This not only gives the straight or triple-time feel, but also fills in the gaps at low b.p.m. rates, making it easier to keep on the beat. The device also detects song pointer messages so that the metronome stays in synchronization with the recorder or sequencer even when the controlling device is stopped, started or restarted within a song. There is also a reset button so that when used with a device that only outputs clock messages the swinging arm and beat click can be set to begin on the beat.