Tempo Playback with Fresh Ears

[Brian W.]

Do you ever listen back to your own recordings and find that the tempo will either seem too fast or too slow with a fresh set of ears? I get that a lot at first playback (usually too fast) but then after a few listens, I settle back into the groove. That initial reaction is probably a good indication that the tempo is not where it ought to be.

It’s strange though—how it begins to feel right only after several plays. Time away from the recording sort of clears the brain’s cookie cache I guess.

[vac4873]

A couple of years back I bought a Zoom H4, when they were the "newest thing". I have found that recording is an awesome tool for getting feedback about your playing in a lot of ways, tempo being among them. I'm trying to work hard to improve my vocal ability and I actually record a goodly portion of all my playing now.

Listening back with a critical ear helps me to improve a lot of things about my playing. I have discovered some bad habits that I wasn't even aware of (like hitting my pick against the pickguard) that I have been able to "clean up", but even more than that, I have noticed some things like lack of energy, starting at the wrong tempo (like your posting mentions), or singing in the wrong key.

I find recording to be a very valuable tool. Only about 1 percent of what I record is for actual producing of recorded music.

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by vac4873

Listening back with a critical ear helps me to improve a lot of things about my playing. I have discovered some bad habits that I wasn't even aware of

Yep, my recordings have a short shelf life for this reason.

If I don’t tap my foot when constructing a new fingerstyle tune, my tempo is all over the place. I get used to playing a song a particular way and then it’s difficult to go back and use a metronome once it’s complete. I’ve heard others mention that a consistent tempo is the first thing a listener locks onto whether or not they’re even aware of it. I’ve got to spend more time on time!

[BigRed51]

Without knowing your playing style or your audience, I don't know if this is relevant for you, but it could be for many ...

I play primarily with vocals with breaks, both solo and in bands (and in jams).

Something worth considering ... more often than not, I will play the same song at different tempos, depending on the situation ... sometimes, dramatically different. In a jam, I will play slower when necessary for the participants, and faster when the pickers and the mood dictate. On stage, I will generally play slower for older audiences, faster for "walkin'around music" situations ... and as I observe an audience, will adjust tempos (as well as the set list) to audience response ...

One of the most extreme examples was playing I'll Fly Away as a VERY slow ballad at a funeral. Some songs are more adaptable than others, but you may want to experiment with different tempos as an option to trying to play every song the same every time.

[shawlie]

Very true, about the first reaction to the tempo after not hearing a song for a while. Listening to things I recorded the first six or so months I got back into playing, it all seems far too fast. I still have the tendancy to play things too fast, but thinking about those earlier things has taught me to keep the metronome down at least 20 beats most times.

[daleyfolk]

Yup. I spent many, many hours over several days recording a song. It sounded okay at the time. But a few days later I realized the whole thing was too slow...and I spent many more hours working on a drum track, thinking maybe it would perk the whole thing up....Nope. So the song is dead, cuz there was no way I was going to redo it. Bah!

[rick-slo]

There is a range of workable tempos on a lot of music but playing at different tempos in the exact same way may not work well. At different tempos you may need to vary the amount per note expressiveness, accent on beats, micro tempo variations in phrases, treble bass balance, damped notes, etc. & etc..

[patrickgm60]

Agreed; tempo can be critical factor to a song/piece. I've read of composers and performers who spend hours over a course of weeks or months determining the perfect tempo for their songs.