Rush: Samples without a click track

[napoleonj]

Hi.

 

I apologize if this has been covered previously, but I couldn't find it.

 

It's been said repeatedly that the band never uses a click track live. However, through out the entire show they trigger samples that are rhythmic in nature (guitar lines, entire vocal segments, etc.).

 

How can the band control the tempo at which these extended samples play if there is no guide tempo track being sent to any of them or at least to Neil?

 

I'm curious what some of your thoughts are as I haven't ever heard any of them discuss this in an interview.

 

Can't wait for the new tracks and the new tour!

[KennyLee]

One word - Neil. Also, I'm sure in his IEM he is getting a boosted signal of the sample to keep it tight.

[Slack jaw gaze]

Neil talks about it a little in Roadshow. He listens to show audio every few shows to make sure the tempo is correct. I believe he also talks about it in the Taking Center Stage DVD. There are also some bits about the samples in the Backstage Secrets DVD that was made during the Snakes and Arrows tour.

[Jomboni]

In one of his recent blog posts I think he mentioned how some of the samples start playing through his monitor a couple of measures before they actually kick in in the song, so he has a few seconds to adjust the tempo on the fly if he needs to.

[JARG]

Hi.

 

I apologize if this has been covered previously, but I couldn't find it.

 

It's been said repeatedly that the band never uses a click track live.

Just because that's been said, doesn't make it true. ;)

However, through out the entire show they trigger samples that are rhythmic in nature (guitar lines, entire vocal segments, etc.).

 

How can the band control the tempo at which these extended samples play if there is no guide tempo track being sent to any of them or at least to Neil?

 

I'm curious what some of your thoughts are as I haven't ever heard any of them discuss this in an interview.

 

Can't wait for the new tracks and the new tour!

 

For shorter samples like you're talking about, I think Neil is a good enough time keeper to get the tempos pretty close to what's needed and then can make on-the-fly adjustments if the band is noticeably out of sync with the samples.

[JARG]

http://youtu.be/8ivnvKIu4mg

[RushBoingo]

I am pretty sure they have mentioned somewhere that they use a click on Time Stand Still to sync up Aimee Mann's vocals.

[New Digital Man]

Yes, i believe that there are several tracks where they do use a click-track in fact Red Sector A is one of them that's why Neil has the headphones!

[Jomboni]

I think the headphones for that song are for the synth. The synth basically functions as a click track in that song so I don't know why they'd need one on top of it, but who knows.

[JARG]

I think the headphones for that song are for the synth. The synth basically functions as a click track in that song so I don't know why they'd need one on top of it, but who knows.

 

I think a click would come through the phones better than the synth and also notice the synth comes in on the mains after the four count, when Geddy actually presses the key on the keyboard.