Help: steady tempo on multiple markers

[oshaf]

Hi, this is my first post.

I've been doing this (put markers on downbeat) so It would ease when composing on hitpoints. But then it infact must change the tempo between markers. Difficulties are I have to face these multi tempos or sudden time changing when composing in real time. Although it could be "handled" by putting "curve" or gradual tempo changing before hitting the hitpoints, but that's still considered a tempo change. Could it be possible to have a steady tempo?

Thanks in advance.

[bralston]

I HIGHLY recommend you do things in this order for composing to hit points. There is not one right way to do this....but I have found this to be the best way in my experience in the last 15 years as a film composer.

1. Place markers for visual hit points in a reel. (include markers for where the cue/s exactly start)
2. Set your cue start marker timecode location in the "set chunk start time" as measure 1.
2. use find tempo tool to determine cue tempo based on the now locked markers you added.
3. Select and apply the tempo that works the best and hits the points you need to hit most, etc...
4. Now that hit points are lined up mostly on a beat (quarter, eighth...whatever you picked)...go through the cue and map out your meter for the cue. Change the meter throughout the cue as needed to make things on a downbeat (4/4, 7/8, 3/4....whatever)...or to just incorporate a particular meter you want to write this cue in. It creates a "roadmap" of sorts for you to compose into.
5. (optional)...add insert a couple measures before measure 1 to give some headroom on the front end of the cue for recording. Make sure you have selected to maintain all times before state of measure 1 so no markers move. It will only insert measure at the head ( Measure 0, Measure -1, -2, -3...etc...)
6. After all of the above....then and only then, begin to compose the cue. You now know the tempo. The meter. Any meters changes....and your markers will hit on beats as you determined...all at the same tempo.

- Do this process for every cue in the film.

See my other tutorial post about this here:
http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... 26&t=58496

MOST cues in Film or TV are at one tempo per cue. Or a variation of that one tempo (half time...double time, etc...) If the tempo changes...frequently it is simpler to just start a new cue...even if the cues overlap each other a bit in the final mix. Some composers can of course have tempo changes within a cue...but it will introduce complexity in what you are trying to achieve, especially if you are ever recording a live orchestra. If it is all MIDI...those issues are mitigated somewhat. If there is a tempo change in a cue and you are recording it all live...I pretty much guarantee you that you will end up recording the cue in sections and "punch in" a few takes at all the tempo changes anyway. And then splice the best takes together for the final mixed cue.