Is 86bpm too slow?

erik · Posted 15 Dec 2001 11:04 am

I have been coming up with some song ideas in the past few months. They all fall within the same theme. I have been recording them at 86bpm. It sounds like it might be a bit too slow and deliberate when i listen to them, but that's kind of the way i am... slow and deliberate (except when i'm working). I can't post an example, but if anyone out there might have an opinion, or maybe has an arranger drum machine that they can demo a Country beat at that speed it would be helpful to get some fedback. Thanks.

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

I had a session a week ago for a tune that was 72bpm, gave me time to think about what I was going to do before I did it. When the guitar took a break, I went out, took my clothes out of the washer, put them in the dryer and got back in time to do a few fills.

erik · Posted 15 Dec 2001 2:52 pm

Are you sure you're not from NY?

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

Seems to me "Together Again" was around that speed, or maybe a little slower.

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

Moving this over to Electronics

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
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Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

A comment and a question:

Regarding the original topic, I'd say 86bpm is too slow for Four Wheel Drive, and too fast for Chopin's Funeral March.

Question: what does a topic regarding the number of beats per minute of a song have to do with electronics, enough to be placed here. This topic should be in Music.

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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I agree, Herb. It' being bounced back.

Mike Dennis · From: Stevens Point WI.

Actually this question may be more appropriate for the electronics forum... especially if your planning on using a Roland Human Rhythm Composer for your drum parts on a home studio recording project.

I'm working on a song right now that is 86bpm and I'm using the Roland R-70 to write out the drum patterns.

This is a very nice unit and I've had a lot of success with it in the past.
I have noticed though that most music warehouse catalogues don't offer it for sale anymore... so this particular unit which was made in the mid 90's, may be off the production line.

What I like about this drum machine is the ability to personally write out drum parts... rather then having the machine play automatically selected rhythm patterns.

You can sit down with the machine under headphones, open up the recording screen and place the beats in a measure exactly where you would like them... you can assign a volume value for each beat and then layer on other drum and cymbal sounds until you achieve the exact feel and sound your looking for. It adds a more personal touch... (when using electronic drums) almost like your actually sitting down at a kit and recording your own drum parts.

The drum sounds are actual digital recordings of the real thing... so it's pretty hard to tell that it's not a real kit.

The kicker is, you have to sit down and create each measure... then tie the measures together to form a song. Once your song is complete (having the drum patterns finished)
You can then set up a tape sync with your recorder so the drum parts play along while your recording. So using this method... the drum patterns have to be finished first before starting to actually record your song.

This is a great tool for the solo musician looking to add that personal touch with some fairly realistic drum sounds.

It also has a feature where the machine will write out a song for you... you pick the amount of measures... verses, chorus etc... add fills and intros and boom... the song is created within a few minutes.

good luck with your project.

Oh, 86bpm ... slow and dreamy

erik · Posted 18 Dec 2001 8:03 pm

Mike, maybe we are working on the same song.

"Slow and dreamy" YES! That is exactly the feeling i get when i play the tunes back. I'm thinking i might bump up to 87, but no more than that. I just know that young people don't like slow stuff. Music seems to be getting faster as time moves on. The only fast music i like is Bluegrass or Celtic. I like my Country on the slow side.

Thanks for the breakdown of your R-70. I know quite a bit about drum machines. My biggest problem now is that i have developed a major project(for myself) but i don't play guitar well enough to get it moving along. And it's not the kind of project i would want to hire a guitar player for (i can't elaborate).

[This message was edited by erik on 18 December 2001 at 08:05 PM.]

Mike Dennis · From: Stevens Point WI.

I bumped mine up to 88... but then brought it back down to 86... :>))

Jeff Evans · From: Cowtown and The Bill Cox Outfit

Ok...I'm moving this to electronics.

Oh...who am I kidding? I can't move this. Dang...I just wanted to feel important.

Michael Holland · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Is 86 BPM too slow? Not for Pink Floyd. If you want to write country hits just re-write Pink Cadillac or I Feel Lucky for the eighteenth zillion time. You'll do fine.

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