Setting tempo with Blueboard

[midnightband]

I'd like to use "button D" on my BlueBoard to trigger a tempo message to send to my iPad and to trigger an automated track in a song.  I read that I can set a tempo by tapping 5 times which should set the tempo and start the automation.  My question is, how can I used my button "D" to accomplish this?

[arlo]

You can go to Settings > App Control > Add An Action > Tempo > Tap Tempo and then select the MIDI message that your BlueBoard is sending from button D.

Note that if you're using automation tracks, you will probably need to use a predefined tempo rather than a tempo you tap in, so that the events in the automation track line up with the tempo you're playing the song at.

[midnightband]

Arlo, You're the greatest!  One follow up question:  I was able to set the tempo just as your instructions worked, but how do I trigger the automation to start on the fifth tap?  In other words, I tap on my pedal 5 times and that starts the metronome - but I would also like that to start the automation.  Can you please let me know how to accomplish this?

[arlo]

Strictly speaking, you can't start the automation track from the same button you're using for Tap Tempo because Tap Tempo requires that you click the button at least five times. I'm not sure that would be helpful anyway because, as I said, an automation track would map events to the tempo you used when creating it, and wouldn't adjust to different tempos that you tap in later.

If your automation track isn't using timed events but is just setting up various things at the start of a song, you could trigger that first, like from a song selection. In that case you might not even need the automation track and can just trigger actions directly from the song selection.

I said "strictly speaking" above because a possible hack for this would be to trigger the Start/Stop Automation Track action from the same button you're using for Tap Tempo. Then click 1 would start it, click 2 would stop it, click 3 would start it, click 4 would stop it and click 5 would start it again. You could try that if you want, but I don't really recommend it; I think the approaches above are cleaner.

[midnightband]

I think I understand - So, what I was hoping to do is to use the automation tool to trigger midi messages to operate lighting scenes. 

I set up automation in the songs, but we currently do not use a click track and rely on the drummer to count in - therefore the timing may be off a little.    What I believe you are saying is that, establishing the tempo through the tap method does not communicate with the actual automation?  If that is correct, then establishing the tap tempo for the song will not correct the automation timing.  That being said, would you have any suggestions aside of using a click track??

[arlo]

That's correct, automation tracks don't stretch to fit different tempos. If you want to sync lighting changes with your performance, you would need to use a click track to ensure a consistent tempo.

If you think your drummer is steady enough to do this without a click track as long as you start at the right tempo, you could use the tempo function in the app to signal the saved tempo to the drummer (with an in-ear audible click or an on-screen flash) and then let the drummer count you in based on that.