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How to Make a Music Click Track

Most musicians are aware of the importance of practicing with a metronome or click track. While analog metronomes are becoming less common as time goes on, technology has allowed for the creation of click tracks to play along with. Click tracks are infinitely customizable, easy to create and can be instrumental in improving a musician's timing. All you need to create a click track is a computer and the software.

Things You'll Need

  • Audacity
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Instructions

  1. Creating a Click Track with Audacity

    • 1

      Open Audacity and select a new project, which can be found under the "file" menu.

    • 2

      Navigate to the tab labeled "generate" and select "click track." A menu will open up, which will ask you to determine the tempo of your click track. Choose a tempo that you are comfortable working with. The most standard and often used tempo is 120 BPM (beats per minute); quicker styles will require a higher tempo, while slow styles such as waltzes require less beats per minute.

    • 3

      Select how many beats per measure you wish for your click track to contain. Most music is played in what is known as 4/4 time, which contains four beats per measure. In contrast, waltzes are played in 3/4 time, and many marches are in 2/4 time. Select the timing that corresponds with the piece you will be practicing.

    • 4

      Choose how many measures you wish for the click to last for. The click should last for as long (if not longer) as the piece you are trying to practice. You can also cause the click track to repeat indefinitely if you choose.

    • 5

      Select "OK," which will add your click track to the project. Save the project down when finished, which can be done in the "file" menu.

    Creating a Click Track with Garage Band

    • 6

      Download HTs 7 Click Track Loops (see “Resources”); open the zip file and save to your desktop.

    • 7

      Open GarageBand (which should come preinstalled on your Apple computer) and click on the "view" button, which will open the loop browser.

    • 8

      Drag the saved folder of loops into the GarageBand loop browser, which will install them into the program.

    • 9

      Using the search field in GarageBand, search for "HT Click" and choose one of the seven click tracks; each of which will have its own style and tempo.

    Creating a Click Track with Logic Studio

    • 10

      Open Logic Studio and select a new project. Open the "environment" window by pressing Command + 8.

    • 11

      Locate the Klopfgeist instrument on Logic's mixer. Click and hold the "stereo out" button and choose a "bus" from the numbered list. Remember the numbered bus you choose.

    • 12

      Create a new audio track and choose the numbered bus you picked in step 2 as the input device.

    • 13

      Arm the track (allowing it to record), and turn on the click in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Press record to capture the click as a track.

    • 14

      Save the track down and export for playback.

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