When you're using pre-recorded tracks during live performances or studio sessions, you've got to keep time with a click track. Some drummers find that difficult, others miss the fact that they can't change the tempo. For example speed up a little when the audience is enthusiastic.

B-Keeper is a drum tracker which uses a click track to sync Ableton Live to drums, so that the computer program will follow the drummer. Put simply, it is a system which throws a virtual harness over your computer and forces it to keep time with your drums - so off with the rigid click and on with a new era of liberated playing. Now you can forget click tracks and count-ins.

B-Keeper works by having both the click of the sequencer and input from the kick and snare microphones routed to the software. It looks at where the bass drum and snare are happening and changes the tempo to accomodate slight change. It also recognises fills, swing, syncopation, although it is not necessarily foolproof. Watch this demo video featuring David Nock (Erland & The Carnival, The Charlatans, The Cult) behind the drum set:

Although humans can recognise a new tempo in a couple of seconds and adapt to it, B-Keeper needs to be told the starting tempo - either by clicking sticks to bring it in, or just starting at a preset tempo. But after that, it should follow a drummer fine. The intro level on the snare is the mic level for the clicks only. In the new MaxForLive version, an option is given to automatically change the thresholds to find suitable levels.

B-Keeper has now been developed to function as a MaxForLive plugin, making it easier for musicians to get up and running. The current version of the B-Keeper software is available for download, free of charge.