MP3 as TT

[shuumai]

Anyone who owns a waterproof mp3 player could use it like a tempo trainer. Just create one or more "click" tracks. (A click track is just a recording of a metronome beat.) A program like Audacity, which is free, can generate a track quickly. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

I don't own a waterproof mp3 player, but I am interested in trying my idea. If someone wants to try a custom click track, I can try creating one for testing. I can be contacted privately or publicly in this forum.

Maybe I will just generate a few and post them on a Website for download. What are some good tempos or variations to start with?

Ah! It might be interesting to create blank spaces in the track so that you could match the tempo in the beginning, try to maintain the tempo on your own, then compare your tempo to the perfect tempo.

Not only could you generate tracks of different tempos, but you could also use the length of the track to time your swim or just automatically stop the "noise" after a short time. I mean, if you create a 2-minute track, you will instantly know when you've reached the 2 minute mark. Or you could edit the audio track to include a sound to indicate minutes. You could even use your own voice saying, "one, two, three..." hehe

AND! You could edit the track to increase or decrease the tempo at different points. So, it would be like using a programmed workout on a stair-stepper or something. hehe

With more effort, maybe an irregular tempo could be created for use with short-axis strokes.

[greg26]

woow... nice idea.. you can indeed do a lot of stuff with it...

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by greg26

woow... nice idea.. you can indeed do a lot of stuff with it...

I don't think I'm the first one to think of it, but thanks.

Another nice thing is that you could choose the sound or tone. It could be a beep, a beating drum, or a dog bark even. Not just an annoying electronic beep at an uncontrollable volume.

(Imagine having a separate left/right sound to remind you which arm to use. haha)

Oh! Another option is to change the tempo--without changing the pitch--of a song that you like. So instead of pacing yourself to the song, the song would be paced to match your chosen stroke rate. (Large changes in tempo might make singing sound funny.) Audacity can do it.

[rgiven]

Originally Posted by shuumai

I don't think I'm the first one to think of it, but thanks.

Another nice thing is that you could choose the sound or tone. It could be a beep, a beating drum, or a dog bark even. Not just an annoying electronic beep at an uncontrollable volume.

(Imagine having a separate left/right sound to remind you which arm to use. haha)

Oh! Another option is to change the tempo--without changing the pitch--of a song that you like. So instead of pacing yourself to the song, the song would be paced to match your chosen stroke rate. (Large changes in tempo might make singing sound funny.) Audacity can do it.

I use my MP3 player in this way for my chi running, basically creating my own metronome, possibilities are endless. I even record my own instruction to switch focal points!

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by rgiven

I use my MP3 player in this way for my chi running, basically creating my own metronome, possibilities are endless. I even record my own instruction to switch focal points!

I remember someone mentioning a voice recording. Coach in a box. hehe

How do you do the metronome part? Audacity makes an annoying tick sound so I thought of using my MIDI programme instead. There are also specialised metronome programmes.

[westyswoods]

Suummai,

In searching links for TT alternatives I found this thread. I just got the Audacity programm downloaded onto a Mac. Being the Neandrathal man of modern technology I am looking for some help in either gaining access to or building some type of program for MP3 players. Have you found any beneficial sites or have any insight as to how this works. I have a contract with the Mac Shoppe for tutorials and plan on setting up an appointment next Weds the 28th to get started on this . I need something I can adjust for my hearing deficit. It would be neat to be able to incorporate some of the ideas you presented. Thanks to you and all for insight.

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by westyswoods

Suummai,

In searching links for TT alternatives I found this thread. I just got the Audacity programm downloaded onto a Mac. Being the Neandrathal man of modern technology I am looking for some help in either gaining access to or building some type of program for MP3 players. Have you found any beneficial sites or have any insight as to how this works. I have a contract with the Mac Shoppe for tutorials and plan on setting up an appointment next Weds the 28th to get started on this . I need something I can adjust for my hearing deficit. It would be neat to be able to incorporate some of the ideas you presented. Thanks to you and all for insight.

Well, one problem with Audacity is that I can't seem to change the pitch of the click track without messing it up. I did find a program can use any sound as a metronome. It didn't seem very practical though. Maybe I could use my MIDI program called "Reason 3" to create a test file for you.

What type of sound do you need? Low or high frequency? Smooth or annoying? Oh, and what tempo?

[shuumai]

Wow, I just created a "tempo track" with only one iteration of one sound. I set the duration to 1 second, starting with a bass drum sound. Setting my media player, Winamp, to repeat creates a "tempo loop" that seems reasonably accurate.

It's only 20k as an MP3 file and 180k as a WAV file. Attaching file.

BTW, Audacity is able to change the tempo of that file without a problem.

(OMK, I just came up with a totally different idea that I can't even share publicly. haha)

[CoachDave]

I've made MP3s for clients with a tempo in the background before. Many audio programs can repeat any sound the client likes (occasionally even my voice over and over, but I can't even stand that).
Once you've got the beat, a second audio track can be overlaid from time to time to rotate focus. One trick I have is that when I have a focal point that ties in to something that might lengthen or shorten a stroke, i often change the rhythm without announcing it, and the swimmer flows into it better because they're not focusing on their own assumptions about what makes a slower or higher tempo stroke. With the overlaid audio included, I save it as one mp3.

[shuumai]

I tried using my 1sec tempo file in my livingroom. I wouldn't be surprised if I swim at that pace. It seems leisurely. Another use of the tempo trainer. heh