Why are they so bad, can it be proved they do use them, and would the stones themselves, if asked, answer YES WE DO USE CLICK TRACKS! ????????

What is a click track?

some people simply dislike everything the Stones do - don't worry about them.
there have always been people like that, and what of it. have some popcorn.

Pretty well-known fact that they do use them nowadays. Whether it is a good thing can be argued from either side of the question.

but tell me Why it is a "pretty well known fact", not by me it's not, and i've followed them since 77, please explain your source and knowledge!

guy Wrote:
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> Why are they so bad, can it be proved they do use
> them, and would the stones themselves, if asked,
> answer YES WE DO USE CLICK TRACKS! ????????

Listen to the last song on the "Bootlegs" from Four Flicks. You can hear a click track. Also, if you look at one of their set-list sheets each song is assigned a BPM (beats per minute) which presumably corresponds to the click-track. All of this to stay in synch with the lighting and special efects I would think

Click tracks work like a metronome, helping the band keep time and start together... sometimes on soundboard boots you can actually hear them. For the Stones gigantic stages, I can see how it might be necessary, but it also hinders that organic live sound, when one night the band plays a little faster/slower than another night, etc... Imagine Midnight Rambler from '72, or I'm Free from Hyde Park '69...

Yeah right, I think they started it in 1989. But it doesn´t work with all songs, especially when Keith starts them ;-)

I also think that the click track only guides them through the first few bars, maybe then it is faded out.

Big Deal , if they didn't people would be bitchin that they were not in sync with one another .

I've always read that and always dismissed it. In my book it's bullshit which someone started to pass around because there are people out there who love to have the "Inside" information and reveal the "real" truth about things to begin the breakdown of a person or band's image.

They only song that they have any kind of extra help in the rhythm is "Sympathy" with the samba beats and drums.

Why would they need them? I'm a musician and if someone told me to use a click track there better be a damn good reason because I sure as hell don't need one. And the Stones are good enough pros that they don't need one. They already have a click track and his name is CHARLIE WATTS.

Keith starts off most of the songs...HE designates the tempo--not a click track. You don't see Keith or Ronnie looking anywhere for how fast to strum. On the set lists, there is a tempo column for each song...so? That could mean that is a general idea for Charlie and Chuck for how fast the songs are.

Does Charlie wear an ear piece to hear the click track? Doubt it. Can anyone hear this magical click track? I don't.

As for apparently hearing it on that song in 4 Flicks in the bootleg section--that's not a click track--it's Charlie. That wasn't a song but them jamming. You don't need a click track if you're just screwing around.

With regards to keeping in sync with lighting and effects the lx team have to keep in tabs with the band, ie the band run it. the bpm guide is mainly fot Charlie and Darryl, and it's Chuck with Jagger who keep the band on track. Yes they have used synthesised sounds to augment sometimes but there is no consistency in this.

Most bands use them these days. Notice the little earphones in many performers ears? Helps everyone stay in sync.

I'd guess they are also used for the small stage sets when the band has to deal with severe echo/delay issues.

J

One thing is to use a click track to START the song (which I believe is what actually happens on all songs save KR's) and a completely different thing is to PLAY on the click (i.e. play following a metronome).

In the first case once everything is started, then the band follows the drummer (or KR if you want to follow the myth). As a matter of fact the time is almost never the same from start to finish.

The ONLY exception is Devil (they have the sampled conga rubbish). And, as I have noted many times before, you can hear it. Just listen to the Lix Cirkus boot what happens with the reprise of Devil after the click ends: the best 1.30 minutes since 76!

C

Check out the setlist here

[www.iorr.org]

You will see that whilst the bpm are listed next to some songs, others are marked with the mysterious initials "KR" next to them. I wonder what that could mean, hmmm......

Justin Wrote:
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> I've always read that and always dismissed it. In
> my book it's bullshit which someone started to
> pass around because there are people out there who
> love to have the "Inside" information and reveal
> the "real" truth about things to begin the
> breakdown of a person or band's image.
>

In the book "according to the rolling stones" Ronnie talks about using the click track and how helpful it is for them. So you can say it is insight information :-)

Cheers,
Wuudy

It's Chuck "1-2-3-4" Leavell who needs the click track for his catch phrase. That's all.

guy Wrote:
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> but tell me Why it is a "pretty well known fact",
> not by me it's not, and i've followed them since
> 77, please explain your source and knowledge!



As Wuddy says above, Ron Wood - "According to the Rolling Stones"

Don't think it's such a big deal, almost all performers use them, especially in larger venues. Likewise, most studio vocals today are adjusted with pitch-correcters. Also the Stones, like many other artists, have a teleprompter with the lyrics displayed.

I believe this sumour started in 89 when Matt Clifford needed or wanted a click track. Most in the band were against it. So they got out the metronome and Charlie kept perfect time without needing the track.

So, I agree with Justine.

There is a click track called Charlie Watts.

KSIE Wrote:
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>
> As Wuddy says above, Ron Wood - "According to the
> Rolling Stones"
>
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I have to believe that but could you please remind of the page where that can be found.

> Don't think it's such a big deal, almost all
> performers use them, especially in larger venues.

Might be true if you are referring to performers who are making millions but the bands you can see playing in clubs and pubs do not use these things that often. And these bands are still the majority.

> Likewise, most studio vocals today are adjusted
> with pitch-correcters.

I wouldn't dare to say 'most'. It is quite common nowadays but I wouldn't say it's the case with 'most' studio vocals.

stonethobo Wrote:

> I also think that the click track only guides them
> through the first few bars, maybe then it is faded
> out.

Nope. The whole song.

> And the Stones are good enough pros
> that they don't need one.

Were.

> They already have a
> click track and his name is CHARLIE WATTS.

Myopic denial.

See, I thought with the lack of rhythm guitars in the overall sound (and addition of Blondie's guitar playing and Chuck's new distorted Rhodes rythm sound, Charlie was the last player keeping it together. Then I remembered the BPM thing, then Ronnie's comments in "According to".

It's not only for the 'lights and effects'. Lights and effects are done by auto-control and/or live personel, not unlike a stage show like Cats or Phantom. They have a live stage crew working those things.

Nope the click track is so any sublte programmed drumming can be inserted anywhere to fill in the blanks, and to help Charlie stay in rhythm. He's getting old, folks, and a man needs some dignity. So let's just smile and pretend we don't know this, or that it doesn't matter, or like some poeple - why don't we just refuse to believe it. After all, this is the Worlds Greatest Rock'n'Roll Band - right?

Rock on.

The Stones claim the click track is only used for the intro.

They also claim that Keith plays rhythm guitar.

btw, I've never had a thread named after me before. But it's odd that it has to do with something that anyone can see/hear. I think they've been using is for nearly every song since at least the BTB tour. I don't think they did w. SW, though who knows?

Lucinda Williams was reading all her songs at radio City. She had a little stand in front of her all night and was flipping thru it for each song. Now THAT's pathetic

I don't really care about click-tracks or even care to listen out for them on boots. That's anal. I remember someone even posted a thread during the Licks Tour suggesting that the whole thing 'was on Memorex'because Bernie and Lisa seemed to be out of sync or miming!

I'd guess Charlie keeps the whole thing ticking over. Having said that I remember a humerous moment at Hampden Park,July 1990 when at the opening of HTW the cowbell sounded before Charlie was even back in his seat!

"I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon."

artalta Wrote:
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> It's Chuck "1-2-3-4" Leavell who needs the click
> track for his catch phrase. That's all.


This is correct.

Sorry, but what is a click track???

marquess Wrote:
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> Sorry, but what is a click track???

tate had answered this earlier above...check tha post...also i'd say: it's a way to get the agreed upon tempo straight for starting (or anywhere else in a song,) and in beats per minute (bpm)...(it gets moniored thru their ear pieces or speakers, whatever...)

as suggested here, it can be generated from a master computer which has software running the lights and big screen shows...or from a drum machine...the term comes from recording i guess...an exact electronic 'click' or whatever kind of beat...on it's own 'track'...to be referenced by anyone at anytime...multitrack recordering will inevitably have this option...be they dedicated machines or software driven...

this being said...i kind of liked it a little more natural and loose, sans click...fer example, there's a gyyyo 'oh carol' thread running currently...to my ears, they speed the holy moly shite out of that one up in that incadescent live versions...the absolute Genius of the band in a way, was how they did that and kept it all together, getting more and more ferocious all the time...wow. it's the tempo marquess!

what ive head is that they use them only on a few songs, and is just at the begining of those. Not for the whole thing.

Someone mentioned that the click track usually comes through speakers in the players' ears, but I've only seen those little ear things on Mick, does anyone know if the others use them as well?