[Kemiroch]

So there are some strange reasons why I can’t work on what I should be working on, so I decided to try once again to learn how to tempo map. I reviewed the docs and Nyx’s tutorial video beforehand and then jumped into a song. Here is the project with my current progress:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B54epqmFF703LWFLT0RXZnpYSDg/view?usp=sharing

 

So it seemed to go well at the start, although I must have been doing something wrong because even following along step by step with Nyx’s video, I had to manually reposition the first three tempo markers to their respective measures after changing the default beat of the song. After that I got about 30 measures done relatively smoothly, and then “Oh crap!” happened.

 

There arrived a pretty obvious BPM change, but its so drastic a change that from what I can tell, the next measure of the song starts a ways after the current tempo’s next measure WOULD have started, so when I try to place a tempo marker at the correct spot, it adds a tempo marker where the current tempo’s measure would have been and then another a tiny bit later where my cursor was. What am doing wrong?

 

Why this big post for what is probably something simple? Well, because I don’t really ‘get’ tempo mapping beyond a very rudimentary level. I am prone to panicking at any little thing that goes wrong with a map, which is why I have put it off for so long. But I will learn it, darn it!

 

Help please?

[DoNotPassGo]

If I have some extra time tonight (and no one else helps already), I can fix this up for you.

[Kemiroch]

If I have some extra time tonight (and no one else helps already), I can fix this up for you.

 

Please don’t fix it ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” /> It will help me a lot more if you can tell me what I need to do to fix it myself ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” /> Thanks!

[Septekka]

Edit the tempo marker at the start of the slower section to something closer – since it goes into half-time it’s basically around 95 or so now. Then you can use Q again to set the exact tempo for the measure.

[Kemiroch]

Excellent, thank you. Do I need to change that 95 tempo marker after I find out the exact tempo of that section?

[Septekka]

It should replace the 95 marker when you set the tempo with Q.

[Kemiroch]

OK I’m not 100% sure I understand but I will give it a whirl and see if I can get it.

[Drihscol]

I would definitely make the entire song half the tempo it is now. (So the bass intro before the drums would go for 2 bars instead of 4 bars etc)

I think the chorusey section isn’t actually half time, just a half time feel because the chord changes still happen at about the same rate as in the previous section, so make it the same tempo as the section before it

 

You’ve done a really good job with the markers you’ve got at the moment, they’re very in time! However, I thought the tempo in this song sounded more clean than normal, and it turns out this track was recorded with a metronome/click track, so you only need one tempo marker at 1.1.00.

I won’t tell you exactly what the tempo is so I don’t do your job for you, but I think you chose a pretty good song for your first tempo map! ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_cheeky.001.gif” />

[Kemiroch]

I would definitely make the entire song half the tempo it is now. (So the bass intro before the drums would go for 2 bars instead of 4 bars etc)

I think the chorusey section isn’t actually half time, just a half time feel because the chord changes still happen at about the same rate as in the previous section, so make it the same tempo as the section before it

 

You’ve done a really good job with the markers you’ve got at the moment, they’re very in time! However, I thought the tempo in this song sounded more clean than normal, and it turns out this track was recorded with a metronome/click track, so you only need one tempo marker at 1.1.00.

I won’t tell you exactly what the tempo is so I don’t do your job for you, but I think you chose a pretty good song for your first tempo map! ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_cheeky.001.gif” />

 

Interesting. I wondered about that too, but the first section just ‘felt’ faster than the chorusey section. I will try it both ways and see which one works better.

[Farottone]

Interesting. I wondered about that too, but the first section just ‘felt’ faster than the chorusey section. I will try it both ways and see which one works better.

 

Remember that OD consumption is affected by how your song is structured in terms of measures. Which means that if you halve your measures you will throw off OD consumption. Unless the song clearly doubles or halves the tempo (and it’s not just feel, as Drihscol pointed out), I would not mess with the measures structure to avoid having to rethink OD placement.

[Kemiroch]

Interesting. I wondered about that too, but the first section just ‘felt’ faster than the chorusey section. I will try it both ways and see which one works better.

 

Remember that OD consumption is affected by how your song is structured in terms of measures. Which means that if you halve your measures you will throw off OD consumption. Unless the song clearly doubles or halves the tempo (and it’s not just feel, as Drihscol pointed out), I would not mess with the measures structure to avoid having to rethink OD placement.

 

OK so now I’m back to totally confused. Thanks ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

 

I get what you’re saying. But now the question becomes, in this particular song, what is clearly doubling/halving and what is feels? Is the opening bass part up to the chorusey section faster than the chorusey section, as I have it so far, or is the difference just a feeling and the whole song is one tempo? If it’s not More Than a Feeling, then is official tempo fast like the opening and the chorusey part feels slower, or is the official tempo slower like the chorusey section and the opening just feels faster? Argh. I don’t know how to find the answer. Most of the songs I do I go from a Songsterr chart or other tab, but I can’t find a tab for this song, only some vague chords, none of which make any mention of the tempo.

[Farottone]

in this particular song

 

To be clear, I was just giving you a general advice, I have not checked out the song. Point is: you can double or havel tempo map a song and it’s not a huge problem, you just adapt the BEAT track and calibrate your OD phrases. However, if you change tempo during the song when it’s not needed, it’s worse, because you need to account for different OD consumption in a specific part of the song only. So, point is, stick to a tempo unless the song changes dramatically (dramatically as in the tempo really feels different, not dramatically as in the song sounds faster).

[Kemiroch]

It’s things like this that scare me off of learning to tempo map ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

[Drihscol]

It’s definitely one tempo the whole way through, with no need for additional markers on any beats/measures.

As for deciding what section is a half time feel or whatever, it’s because the section at the beginning is using some tricks to make it sound faster and more intense, and they both the bass and drums play pretty much the same part over and over again.

But in the chorus section the bass and drums both play less intense riffs, which gives the illusion of the whole piece slowing down.

 

This kind of stuff can seem confusing when you first start out, but when it all comes down to it, if the notes are in place, and the animation speed/overdrive speed isn’t wonky, (which only happens with massive spikes/drops in tempo for entire sections, which can be avoided) then the tempo map is a success! Try not to over think it. ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

[Kemiroch]

OK here is my second attempt, using Drihscol’s one tempo theory.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/8ev97s41bt1tr71/Medicine_Man2.rar

 

I must have gotten the wrong tempo since it doesn’t seem to me like it matches up perfectly. Towards the middle I think it starts to noticeably drift. I may just map the whole thing for the experience.

 

But Drihscol you can tell me the tempo now just so I can check it against my own work ” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />

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