Tip: Using Vol.Automation on Metronome Buss (for flexible click track)

[Colin Nicholls]

I don't know if this falls into the cateogry of "Pro Tip" or not, but I realized something today that I'd like to share:

OK, so I use the Audio Metronome, and assign it to its own bus, called "CLICK", and directed to the Hardware Out.

All other tracks are usually directed to a common MASTER buss which in turn is directed to the Hardware Out.

(This means that if I bounce down the MASTER, I hear everything EXCEPT the CLICK, which is handy, if that's what you want.)

Anyway, I realized today that I could automate the Buss Output Volume on the CLICK buss. This allows me to have a "Count In" click, wherever I need it (at the beginning or other strategic locations), and I just leave the metronome enabled for Playback and Recording.

If I want to go back to "always on" metronome, temporarily, I disable READ AUTOMATION on the CLICK buss. I swear, this is the first time I've ever used Read Automation = OFF in actual practice.

Anyway, I hope someone out there finds this useful. Alternatively, if you think this is bleeding obvious and I'm an idiot for not figuring it out before now, feel free to let me know below.

Regards and happy recording!

[tonemangler]

Hi Colin for the good tip.  It also works when tracking. If, for example, you are tracking an acoustic guitar, and maybe there is a very soft section, or an outro which is played softly, you can volume automate the click so as to minimize bleed from the headphones. This happened to me once where I thought I had a great take until I realized the click was faintly heard on the acoustic track during the outro! TBH, once I have the drums done, which is usually the first or second thing I do, I only need "count ins" which I will quickly record a four bar click on it's own track. Then I will keep it muted until needed. Cheers