Most DAWs have Time stretch and pitch change built in. You can choose one or the other or both
if you want. Since it does resample in the process there will be quality loss. Its the price you pay
for not having it right to begin with. My best suggestion is buy or download a metronome.
Write up your music or lyrics and find the best tempo for the songs and write it down on
your cheat sheet. That way you'll always have the tempo you need for the song.
If that tempo then doesnt feel good to you when it comes time to record, then thats
a psychological thing you have to work out. If you cant program your own internal clock
so it has a good groove for you to play, then you are out of touch with that part of your
playing skills. Music is all about keeping up with the tempo. Occasionally things click and
your internal clock and the external clock are in sync and it inspires you in the process.
Other times its a matter of slugging it out the whole way fighting to keep you're playing in
sync with the rhythm. Its only the finished results that matter, not how you feel playing it.
I cant count the times I've recorded parts I thought for sure sucked because I wasnt feeling
the groove only to find out, the track kicked ass when I heard it later. Other times, It felt
great playing the part only to find it sucked balls listening to it play back.
Occasionally, it both feels good and kicks butt. Dont ask me why. I been playing and recording for
over 47 years and it still mystifies me. The body has a bio rhythm and sometimes it matches the music
and you capture glorious things in a recording. If you get real luckey you may get one in ten that has both.
Otherwise, trust what your engineer is hearing. If he hears a good groove, thats all that matters. It may be
unconfortable for you but music isnt about making the musician confortable, its about making the listener confortable.
One other thing. Many live performers become dependant on playing to a live audience.
The audiences responce is what gives the musician their groove. The musicians inner
eye is focused on the audience. When they go into a studio and theres no audience,
their inner eye focuses inward and thats when things like tempo and tuning issues
crop up and become over amplified obsticles. I know, I battel with the same issues.
My best advice is to redirect your concentration when you record. Dont expect
the engineer to be thrilled by your playing. First off, he's buisy doing his job,
and second he's heard it all and isnt going to be getting a thrill up his leg.
Turn your focus outward vs inward. The mic in front of your amp can be one.
Its a single ear that represents a million listeners and its the key item your
are playing to. If the mic likes what it hears, so will everyone else. Other options
are to close your eyes and imagine yourself in front of 10,000 people playing.
Another might be finding a single point in the room and placing your
complete concentration on it. Maybe standing up playing in front of a mic
like you do live will do it. Playing sitting down not only makes the neck feel
different but moving around in front of the amp sounds different to the ears and also
gives the guitar different tones as you use the speakers to reflect off the body and
give you different overtones.
There are many other ways of redirecting your concentration. Many you can develop on your own.
Main thing is, if you are finding the tempo of a few beats off unconfortable, then you know you are
too focused on yourself and you need to change that focus and get beyond it. If its a matter of being
way too fast where you cant play the notes or so slow its dragging you down, then you do what you have to do.
If its close to the original tempo, and it still feels off, try working on another song and come back to it when you're
in the mood. Pacing yourself recording is just like pacing yourself playing live. A set list is designed to have peaks
and valleys and if you're conditioned to those, incorporate those same peaks and valleys in your recording session
and you'll find things flow much more smoothly.
Originally Posted by WRGKMC
Help Desk