Journey and their "click track"

[Shadowsong]

Pardon my ignorance what is a click track and canned vox. Some of us are just fans. Love the way the music sounds to us..

A click track...is a metronome track piped into the drummer's in ear monitor or headphones. It allows the drummer to stay in time, not speed up or slow down by an audible click sound that 'clicks' in the correct time throughout the duration of the song.

This can either be strictly a metronome sound...or the click can be one of many tracks of prerecorded music that is played along with the band. Lets say, for simplistic example sake...that there's a 4 track player that's played along with the band.

1 track is a click track that only goes to the band or the drummer. No one out in the audience hears it.
the other 3 tracks can be background vocals that are pre-recorded (canned vox), prerecorded keyboard parts, or {shudder} lead vocal parts...those other tracks are sent to the PA mixing board and can be mixed in with the rest of the band's instruments to be heard by the audience.

In order for the pre-recorded background vocals or keyboard parts to come out of the PA speakers at the right time, the band has to be in-sync with the pre-recorded music. A way to do that is to provide the drummer with a click track, so that the band starts it's music *exactly* at the correct time. In addition, the band needs to stay in perfect time throughout the entire performance of the song, or else the pre-recorded music will "sing" or "play" at the wrong time.

Hope that helps....

Yes and thanks both of you, I didn't know what a click track was either.

Thanks, I too was confused.

[Shadowsong]

Time to lose this bullshit piece of complacent embarrassment. You guys are far too good to be restricted by gay choreography. If Neal wants to rip into a fuckin' extended solo then God Damn it...let him!!! You guys are becoming formatted and somewhat boring to your hardcore fans that go to multiple shows and would like some variation to the songs. The decision to do this is as fucking dumb as waiting for that big beaked asshole to tour for over 20 years!!!

Bullshit.
Deen can't play consistantly without a metronome. Anything Journey does with additional backing tracks is just icing on the cake. The only reason this was dropped with JSS was because there was an attempt to lower songs by a couple keys to accomodate his voice, and there was no BGV in key. Even then, Deen still played with a metronome.

To correct you here, it was their idea to drop down a half step when we started the European tour because the schedule was quite hairy. I didn't want it but was willing to try. We did ONE show tuned down & I hated it, actually found it more difficult to sing as the keys lowered forced me to sing with more of my 'full' voice where as singing in the regular tuning allowed me to use more 'head' voice (for those of you playing the home game, the head voice is a cross between real & falsetto, sounds strong yet saves you from having to belt out until you croak!) & actually saved my voice night after night. Eventually we all tire & need proper vocal rest but this tuning down thing wasn't for me.

Continue on with your topic now....yes, i still linger here from time to time.

Regardless, there were no backing tracks on that show, right?

Yes there were, all dropped down a half step...in the mix, you don't hear the 'droopy' effect that occurs when digitally detuning tracks but you certainly hear it hitting the 'solo' button!

Interesting keys & half steps...
I really never got passed major & minor keys

I don't even know my key



I didn't do too well in music theory but glad you insisted they make the necessary changes to safeguard your voice.

[Liquid_Drummer]

Time to lose this bullshit piece of complacent embarrassment. You guys are far too good to be restricted by gay choreography. If Neal wants to rip into a fuckin' extended solo then God Damn it...let him!!! You guys are becoming formatted and somewhat boring to your hardcore fans that go to multiple shows and would like some variation to the songs. The decision to do this is as fucking dumb as waiting for that big beaked asshole to tour for over 20 years!!!

Bullshit.
Deen can't play consistantly without a metronome. Anything Journey does with additional backing tracks is just icing on the cake. The only reason this was dropped with JSS was because there was an attempt to lower songs by a couple keys to accomodate his voice, and there was no BGV in key. Even then, Deen still played with a metronome.

get a new drummer.A drummers job is to keep time period.Of course he covers lead vocals when needed{many times}

As a drummer of 27 years I can tell you that NO DRUMMER plays perfect time. It is ok for a song to "breathe" a little and for the time to change just a bit. A good drummer can make subtle adjustments to the time to make it more driving or more laid back without any noticeable change in the time.. Click tracks can be very restrictive and I personally hate them. Steve Smith supposedly refused to use them during recordings with Journey up until ROR and then he was gone... Jesus, what a boneheaded move by Perry....

[brywool]

Time to lose this bullshit piece of complacent embarrassment. You guys are far too good to be restricted by gay choreography. If Neal wants to rip into a fuckin' extended solo then God Damn it...let him!!! You guys are becoming formatted and somewhat boring to your hardcore fans that go to multiple shows and would like some variation to the songs. The decision to do this is as fucking dumb as waiting for that big beaked asshole to tour for over 20 years!!!

Bullshit.
Deen can't play consistantly without a metronome. Anything Journey does with additional backing tracks is just icing on the cake. The only reason this was dropped with JSS was because there was an attempt to lower songs by a couple keys to accomodate his voice, and there was no BGV in key. Even then, Deen still played with a metronome.

get a new drummer.A drummers job is to keep time period.Of course he covers lead vocals when needed{many times}

As a drummer of 27 years I can tell you that NO DRUMMER plays perfect time. It is ok for a song to "breathe" a little and for the time to change just a bit. A good drummer can make subtle adjustments to the time to make it more driving or more laid back without any noticeable change in the time.. Click tracks can be very restrictive and I personally hate them. Steve Smith supposedly refused to use them during recordings with Journey up until ROR and then he was gone... Jesus, what a boneheaded move by Perry....

Oh come on LD! It gave us the wonder and majesty that is Michael Baird.... oh, wait.... yeah, yer right.

[Rockindeano]

As a drummer of 27 years I can tell you that NO DRUMMER plays perfect time. It is ok for a song to "breathe" a little and for the time to change just a bit. A good drummer can make subtle adjustments to the time to make it more driving or more laid back without any noticeable change in the time.. Click tracks can be very restrictive and I personally hate them.

Right on the money. I agree 100% but then again, I have seen so many singers shake their heads and yell at the drummer because he isn't "playing it right."

Steve Smith supposedly refused to use them during recordings with Journey up until ROR and then he was gone... Jesus, what a boneheaded move by Perry....

Yes, but Perry himself admitted to it, and said he messed up. Props to him for doing so. Have you ever seen Schon or Friga admit to any wrongdoing? Not hardly. They just blame the fans and call them drunks.

[stevew2]

As a drummer of 27 years I can tell you that NO DRUMMER plays perfect time. It is ok for a song to "breathe" a little and for the time to change just a bit. A good drummer can make subtle adjustments to the time to make it more driving or more laid back without any noticeable change in the time.. Click tracks can be very restrictive and I personally hate them.

Right on the money. I agree 100% but then again, I have seen so many singers shake their heads and yell at the drummer because he isn't "playing it right."

Steve Smith supposedly refused to use them during recordings with Journey up until ROR and then he was gone... Jesus, what a boneheaded move by Perry....

Yes, but Perry himself admitted to it, and said he messed up. Props to him for doing so. Have you ever seen Schon or Friga admit to any wrongdoing? Not hardly. They just blame the fans and call them drunks.

Drunks ??? how dare they say that. Friga was bombed when Neal called him about Arnel

[Rockindeano]

Drunks ??? how dare they say that. Friga was bombed when Neal called him about Arnel

Steve, I know it's early there in your log cabin in the backwoods of whatever National Park you live in, but that is the honest to God truth. That motherfucker said when denying the use of tapes, that the fans who claimed this to be true were "a bunch of drunks." So yes, he called us all on here drunks, yet, for some strange reason, people here still love that asshole. I wish him nothing but angst and pain. What a standup guy that Friga is! Valory too. Another piece of shit.

[stevew2]

Drunks ??? how dare they say that. Friga was bombed when Neal called him about Arnel

Steve, I know it's early there in your log cabin in the backwoods of whatever National Park you live in, but that is the honest to God truth. That motherfucker said when denying the use of tapes, that the fans who claimed this to be true were "a bunch of drunks." So yes, he called us all on here drunks, yet, for some strange reason, people here still love that asshole. I wish him nothing but angst and pain. What a standup guy that Friga is! Valory too. Another piece of shit.

I know it is, I remember the interveiws. They are a circus act. Like the music but not the dicks playin it.

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

Yes there were, all dropped down a half step...in the mix, you don't hear the 'droopy' effect that occurs when digitally detuning tracks but you certainly hear it hitting the 'solo' button!

Damn Jeff, what a buzz kill!!!
And all this time I figured that was all you, sounding like a thousand gods,
raining pure musical bliss on our craniums

If it makes you happy, TSO use NO click tracks

ya know, I was wondering about this when I was there Sunday. if TSO doesn't use it, GOOD GRIEF!!! That band is so tight that it's almost unbelievable. but how is the light show computer controlled (like Al said in the radio interview) without the click?

[zino]

So the canned vox was used during the escape tour?

Listen to Where Where You on the ' Houston 81" cd o background vocals in the dvd and you will hear a very high pitched chours..this has to be canned because you can hear everybody else sing. It sound like Perry to me.

[zino]

AC/DC has been ripping through their songs at impossible speeds. Sounds like a record on fast speed. In concert, there, you don;t realize it. But listen to the boot later, is like the chipmunks played!
But Phil is a good drummer.

Saw AC/DC a few weeks ago and read the reviews that the songs were being played super fast. Didnt think so at the show. Would love to hear the boot. Do you think they play it SO loud to cover up some vocals. I think if they turned it down just a notch it would make for better listening.

I dont think Phil Rudd uses a click track he times all songs to the puff a cig he had in his mouth the whole night !!!!!

[Rockindeano]

So the canned vox was used during the escape tour?

Listen to Where Where You on the ' Houston 81" cd o background vocals in the dvd and you will hear a very high pitched chours..this has to be canned because you can hear everybody else sing. It sound like Perry to me.

Agreed 100%. Isn't 81 when they first went to canned BG? Herbie alluded to it as well I believe.

[Jeremey]

So the canned vox was used during the escape tour?

Listen to Where Where You on the ' Houston 81" cd o background vocals in the dvd and you will hear a very high pitched chours..this has to be canned because you can hear everybody else sing. It sound like Perry to me.

Agreed 100%. Isn't 81 when they first went to canned BG? Herbie alluded to it as well I believe.

Before this, there was a boot of "Too Late" in Tokyo where the taped BGV/delay system went haywire. Steve made a joking comment about it after the song. JC was in the band at the time, but it was early on in the tour I'm sure...

The BG on the 81 DVD were rerecorded before broadcast so the canned vox you are hearing on the recent release was not what the Houston audience was hearing live.

[Liquid_Drummer]

AC/DC has been ripping through their songs at impossible speeds. Sounds like a record on fast speed. In concert, there, you don;t realize it. But listen to the boot later, is like the chipmunks played!
But Phil is a good drummer.

Saw AC/DC a few weeks ago and read the reviews that the songs were being played super fast. Didnt think so at the show. Would love to hear the boot. Do you think they play it SO loud to cover up some vocals. I think if they turned it down just a notch it would make for better listening.

I dont think Phil Rudd uses a click track he times all songs to the puff a cig he had in his mouth the whole night !!!!!

Faster song = Less time singing it. It is for Brians voice which is shot all to hell anyway.. You cant scream like that all those years. I dont see how he still does it. Or barley does it. I think he sounds horrible. Back in Black vocally was awesome and it was downhill from there. I have boots from that tour in 80 and he couldnt do it then live..

[Liquid_Drummer]

So the canned vox was used during the escape tour?

Listen to Where Where You on the ' Houston 81" cd o background vocals in the dvd and you will hear a very high pitched chours..this has to be canned because you can hear everybody else sing. It sound like Perry to me.

Agreed 100%. Isn't 81 when they first went to canned BG? Herbie alluded to it as well I believe.

Before this, there was a boot of "Too Late" in Tokyo where the taped BGV/delay system went haywire. Steve made a joking comment about it after the song. JC was in the band at the time, but it was early on in the tour I'm sure...

The BG on the 81 DVD were rerecorded before broadcast so the canned vox you are hearing on the recent release was not what the Houston audience was hearing live.

Journey does incredible harmonies without aid.. Why the hell would they do that ? When perry was in the band there was no need at all. I would love to hear Too late with the messup.

[StyxCollector]

Does Styx use a click track? Was it too hard for John to keep up when he had his personal problems going on?

Wrong forum, I know.

As far as I know, no. And back in the day IEMs were rare, so John didn't use one on the EOTC tour. He did have help during "World Tonite" with roadies playing some percussion.

[Jeremey]

So the canned vox was used during the escape tour?

Listen to Where Where You on the ' Houston 81" cd o background vocals in the dvd and you will hear a very high pitched chours..this has to be canned because you can hear everybody else sing. It sound like Perry to me.

Agreed 100%. Isn't 81 when they first went to canned BG? Herbie alluded to it as well I believe.

Before this, there was a boot of "Too Late" in Tokyo where the taped BGV/delay system went haywire. Steve made a joking comment about it after the song. JC was in the band at the time, but it was early on in the tour I'm sure...

The BG on the 81 DVD were rerecorded before broadcast so the canned vox you are hearing on the recent release was not what the Houston audience was hearing live.

Journey does incredible harmonies without aid.. Why the hell would they do that ? When perry was in the band there was no need at all. I would love to hear Too late with the messup.

I don't have it now. It's the Tokyo boot with "Lay It Down" and JC doing an old Babys tune called "Take me back to Tokyo" or something like that. The "Too Late!" BGV were out of sync and then doubled up, and Perry laughed and said something like, "We had to play that twice" or something. I don't know what they were using at the time, but I'm guessing it was some sort of manually operated tape or delay system.