CERTIFIABLY ABLETON
PLAYING TO A CLICK | Matt McCoy
Sometimes the simplest thing can make all get off the click when you first try it. Don’t be
which makes it easier to stay in time together.
the difference. Like when your band members discouraged. It’s important that you give you actually listen to the new song before rehearsal, and your band grace as you begin to learn to The click is the foundation of Ableton Live.
or when the charts are printed off in the exact play to a click. Don’t feel pressure to use it this Almost everything you do in Ableton Live
key and arrangement of the song. These Sunday morning. Instead, just try using it during requires a consistent tempo - whether you
small things can make huge differences. I’m a rehearsal. If you get off the click, stop it and are recording, using multitracks, or syncing up
convinced that the number one thing you can try again next time. It’s like learning to ride a lyrics. The click is the railroad track that gets
do to enhance the sound and professionalism bike - the more you practice, the more natural your band across the finish line together. Even if
of your band is to play with a metronome (also it will feel. you don’t use tracks, you can still use Ableton
known as a “click track”). Some of you probably Live as a metronome. The latest version of
haven’t heard a metronome since your last Ableton Live 10 offers improvements to the
piano lesson when you were nine-years old.
Maybe you remember feeling that you weren’t
able to fully enjoy the music because you were
so focused on the metronome. Playing with a
click doesn’t need to be that way. Once you
are comfortable playing along, the click sound
will fade into the background and you’ll wonder
why you didn’t use it before.
The click track is the glue that keeps your
band together. Without a click, everyone in
the band begins to play at their own tempo
- which will make your band sound muddy
and disconnected. We’ve all experienced the
dragging feeling when a fast song unexpectedly
transforms into a slow ballad by the end. It’s
time to give your foot-stomping, time-keeper a
The click is the
railroad track
that gets your
the finish line
together. Even
is by using Impulse or Drum Rack to trigger
click samples. Loop Community offers a pack
click pack from loopcommunity.com/shop
If you can’t afford Ableton Live right now,
there are many metronome apps that are
perfect for building a setlist. I recommend
for worship leaders. It’s an easy way to get
started if you’re brand new to this.
Using a click track in Ableton Live is the best
thing you can do to enhance the sound of your
Ableton Live as
band. Once you do it, you’ll never turn back.
You’ll be amazed at how much tighter your
band sounds. If you’re wanting to learn how to
flowing dynamically is much better than flowing
consistent time together, and give them more
using MIDI clips. The easiest way to do this
completely free and was designed specifically
can still use
in tempo. I’d rather have my band playing in
You may also want to generate your own click
“PRIME MultiTrack App” for iOS & MacOS. It’s
if you don’t
Convincing your band to start using a click may
and want the music to “flow” more. However,
to choose the sub-division rhythm of the click.
Rimshot, and others. You can download the
use tracks, you
back because they don’t want to be “trapped”
options in click sounds, as well as the ability
of various click sounds like Marimba, Beep,
band across
break and let a click track do the work.
be a challenge. Some musicians may push
built-in metronome. You now have a few more
a metronome.
use Ableton Live to build a click track, I teach
a free 1-hour beginners course for worship
leaders. To sign up, visit AbletoninWorship.com
freedom to focus on the dynamics (volume, feel,
sensitivity) of their individual parts. If everyone is
worried about staying in time together, the last It’s important that your drummer can hear the
thing they will be thinking about is dynamics. click, but it’s even better if everyone in your
band can hear it. Otherwise, the drummer will
Another reason band members may resist have to work harder at keeping everyone else
the click is because they are afraid of what in time. If everyone can hear the click, each
will happen if they get off it. It’s very normal to member is held accountable on their own,
154
November 2018
Matt McCoy
Matt is a worship leader and songwriter from
Chicago. He is the founder of LoopCommunity.com
and an Ableton Certified Trainer.
LoopCommunity.com
WorshipMusician.com