How to control the meter and tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First

In this article, we’ll look at how to alter both the meter and the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First.

Not just that, but we’ll also examine how to add tempo and meter changes mid song.

Plus, we’ll look at how to add even increases and decreases in tempo as well.

How to change the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First:

By default, the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First will be set to 120 bpm. To alter this, double click the ‘song start marker’ in the tempo ruler in the edit window:

The tempo change window will open. Here you can enter your desired tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First:

How to add changes to the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First:

Adjusting the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First during the song is simple. Just click the add button on the tempo ruler to insert a tempo change:

The tempo change window will open. Here you can add the desired tempo and the location at which you want the tempo change to occur:

Here you can see that all tempo changes will appear in the tempo ruler:

Drawing in tempo changes in ProTools First:

An alternative to entering tempo changes via the tempo change window is to automate the tempo of the click track in Pro Tools First by drawing it in. To do this, click the drop down arrow on the tempo ruler, which will open the tempo editor:

By holding down on the pencil tool icon, you can change the type of automation that you draw:

Using ‘free hand’ allows you to draw in any type of tempo fluctuation. Whereas selecting ‘line’ allows you to create a steady increase or decrease in tempo:

How to alter the meter of the click track in ProTools First:

In the midi controls in either the toolbar at the top of the edit window, or in the transport window, double click on the meter value to open the ‘change meter’ window:

Here, you can change the meter. By default it is set to 4/4 but it can be changed to your desired meter. Here you can also alter the note value. Meter changes can be added to different parts of the session by following the same process and entering the ‘location’ that you want new meter changes to occur at in the meter change window. All meter changes will appear in the meter ruler like so:

Having control of the meter and tempo of the click track in your songs will allow you to record in any time signature and at any speed that you like. Furthermore, if your songs feature changes in either the time signature or the tempo at any point in the song, this can be controlled easily. Finally, with the ability to draw in tempo changes, your music can speed up or slow down exactly as you need it to, so that you can record your music perfectly.

Follow this link to visit the Avid website and find out more about Pro Tools First.

Click here to learn how and why to make use of the tap tempo feature in Pro Tools First.

To learn how to set up a click track in Pro Tools First and how to use the count off feature, click here.