Incorrect BPM

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GaryMT
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Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:03 pm

Incorrect BPM

Post by GaryMT »

I'm recording a simple 12 bar blues and I want the tempo at 110 BPM. I set the tempo at 110. However when I drag a shuffle beat from Mixcraft 8 (or EZ Drummer) it plays it very very slow. I have to adjust the BPM up to about 140 to get it to where I think it is at 110 BPM. To check it, I have the metronome playing during playback and it is clearly much faster than the drum track (or other tracks I've recorded). The metronome seems right but the other tracks are at a slower BPM. Basically what is happening is I have to set the BPM much higher than it should be to get the BPM at about 110. I click "Use Project Tempo" for each track. Mixcraft 8 used to always ask if I wanted to change or keep the project tempo of the file I would drag in, but it does not seem to do that now. If anyone could offer suggestions on this I would appreciate it.

Thanks
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TrevsAudio
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by TrevsAudio »

In the sound tab, select 'use project tempo'
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GaryMT
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by GaryMT »

Thank you for the reply. I do select "use project tempo" on all the tracks, but something is not working. I'm sure its user error, I just can't figure out what. The track in question is much slower than the displayed BMP. Thanks again for your reply.
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

In Mixcraft's Sound Device preferences are you using ASIO mode? If so, do you have "Use Device's Preferred Settings" selected? If so, try turning that off and restarting Mixcraft.

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Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
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Sturdy
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by Sturdy »

I've had cases where the metadata on the loop itself is just wrong. The loop might truly be 110bpm, but something in the metadata is wrong making computer thing bpm is something else. I tried to fix the beatmapping in Sound Forge and got very close, but still had to use a stretching feature in mixcraft to have the beat fit project tempo perfectly. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get it to match perfectly, but grabbing the end of the loop and dragging it to fit the proper #of bars worked for me in that case.
GaryMT
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Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:03 pm

Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by GaryMT »

Thanks Greg, In the Sound Device preferences I'm using ASIO mode. "Use Device's Preferred Settings was not selected. I'll keep trying to figure what is happening, but any more suggestions is greatly appreciated

Thanks
Gary
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Acoustica Greg
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by Acoustica Greg »

Hi,

Yeah, if the "Use Project Tempo" option isn't doing it for you, try switching to Time Stretch mode. Leaving it at 100% would be no change to the sound which is good if it's already the correct tempo.

You can also hold down the Ctrl key and drag the end of an audio clip to manually time stretch it.

Greg
Mixcraft - The Musician's DAW
Check out our tutorial videos on YouTube: Mixcraft 10 University 101
GaryMT
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Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:03 pm

Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by GaryMT »

Thanks everyone for your replies and trying to help. I think I've discovered the issue (I think). When I drag any drum loop from Mixcraft 8 to a track, I click "Use Project Tempo" and it always works fine. In EZ Drummer 2, I use the same procedure and it always works EXCEPT when I drag a shuffle beat in that is in 12/8 time. I read on the Toontrack user forum of someone having a very similar issue. Quoting from a user on that site -"The project tempo is 88 bpm, the drums are playing at around 58 bpm." There were no work around solutions offered.

I found if I change the Tempo Settings in EZ Drummer from 1x Default Tempo to 3/2x(6/8-4/4) it plays it perfectly. I set the project tempo at 120, inserted the EZDrummer shuffle beat and compared it to other shuffle beats I have at 120. Now they are the same tempo. I don't really understand why this is happening but I suspect it is how Mixcraft and EZDrummer read 12/8 time differently???

If anyone else has this issue, maybe this will help. Thanks again to the folks who offered suggestions.
Gary
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Re: Incorrect BPM

Post by cactus-head »

I don't believe mixcraft handles X/8 meters like a triplet. They are grouped in sets of eigth notes. A shuffle is in a triplet meter or a dotted quarter + eigth but really a three feel. The tempo in Mixcraft seems to be based on the denominator. If the tempo is 120 and you are in 6/4 then if you play the metronome you will hear the quarter note on the downbeat as you'd expect. If the meter is changed to 6/8 and the tempo is still 120, then you will hear the down beat on the eight notes which will sound twice as fast.

There's no option to independently change the bpm based on the value of a particular note. The standard is q=120 . In a triplet or swing meter you'd want q. = 120 . So a time like 12/8 or 6/8 will be grouped in sets of triplets with the down beat on the dotted quarter.
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