Metronome help iOS

[Mahlon]

We've been using BandHelper for just under a month now (just renewed another month to continue to research functionalities) but before we get any further with it, our drummer is having trouble getting the metronome to start in time due to latency. I haven't seen many other complaints about this issue so I wasn't sure if this is a 'user error' issue that we are hung up on or if this is an issue with BandHelper that just isn't as devastating a problem for most acts as it is for us.

We regularly perform roughly 100-150 shows per year all over the Midwest and are looking for a solution to streamline our (already pretty tightly structured) performances and centralize set list creation/management and sharing, running the click track as well as sending our MIDI changes on a song selection basis.

The keyboard player and I (bassist) have been using Bluetooth MIDI commands to change our settings on a per-song basis to minimize tap dancing in between songs, or getting lost in menus.  Our drummer sends audio from his iPad directly wired to a mixer that sends the click to our IEM's so there is no latency sending the click, i.e. we are not sending beat clock info or anything like that over bluetooth... but when he starts the click, it has a delay that makes things exceptionally messy, especially if someone is already playing, like an acoustic guitar intro or something like that.  It's not like a 10ms delay either, it's more like 50-100ms, which is considerable enough that it becomes very difficult for anyone to adjust to it on the fly.

Typically we don't leave much time between songs, and have a few "medleys" that will have several different tempos throughout that when using his Polynome app, he taps it on the one and it starts, or changes to the new tempo instantly, in time, on the one.  If we are connecting our iPads though over Wi-fi, we start having serious trouble.  He has been NOT connecting his iPad though, just running audio, and even disconnecting his blue board and/or Airturn (he's got both) and has still been having latency issues. It's really inconsistent. For us to make this work effectively, he has to be running Polynome and would have to build a separate set list for that app alone, and somehow have to run both setlists in both apps at the same time to advance things, but he's playing drums so all 4 of his limbs are usually too busy to mess with that stuff. Alternately, we could make the set list in BandHelper and he could make a separate setlist for himself just to send the click, but that defeats the purpose of a 'centralized' app that we are all using. BandHelper seems ideal for us if it weren't for this latency issue that we are experiencing.  He teaches and works with different acts and uses several different metronome apps, but the BandHelper metronome is by far the one he experiences the most latency, to the point that we won't be able to use the app as a whole band.  Is there something we are doing wrong?  We have all noticed it on our own iPads as well, whether we are connected to anything else or not, but if Bluetooth is running or we are connected over our wi-if network, it becomes a considerably worse issue.

[arlo]

Most people start the tempo first, then start playing to it. Starting the tempo in sync with musicians who are already playing is a more challenging scenario. However, you can turn on Settings > Audio & MIDI > Low Latency Tempo and see if that helps.

BandHelper doesn't support multiple tempos within a song. I usually recommend creating a custom click track as an audio file and playing that instead of using the tempo function when that is needed.

[Mahlon]

Thanks for getting back. I'll make that suggestion.  EDIT: Just tried it myself and it made a BIG difference. That may settle the argument. 2ND EDIT:  Drummer just got back to me and that seems to have solved a big issue for us. If all goes well this next weekend you'll probably be getting our money for a year.

Thanks! 

[arlo]

Great. FYI for others reading this, the main disadvantage of the Low-Latency Tempo setting is greater battery usage. It could also be more susceptible to bugs since it is used less often, especially if combined with other less commonly used settings like Continue Audio When Changing Songs.

[Awash (drums)]

I had the same issue as your drummer. I'm a drummer myself. It was solved by Arlo with the same solution and that was years ago. If you ask me you can sign up for year without hesitation. Bandhelper is brillant. Making your own layout is fabulous. There is now other way to combine a setlisr, metronome, noties, recordings per song, etc, in one screen. Arlo is a Hero.