How do you do a manual click off to start the recording

Question

So, at my work, I play piano for dance classes, and the instructor usually gives me 4 or 8 or so counts before everyone starts dancing. When I want to record to the metronome, I need the count off to be in time with what the instructor says, but making sure that that is so can be difficult because sometimes they count off at different tempos. So! If there is a way to manually press the 4 clicks that would determine the tempo before the recording starts, I would really want to know it. I know you can do this on many keyboards, but I don't know about Logic. I assume there is a way since it seems like Logic has everything.
This is a different question, but nonetheless important: So is there a way to get a visual metronome click instead of just the sound clicking when I'm recording? Because many times I record the music as they dance, so when I want to stay with the metronome to be able to add layers layer, I need to keep the metronome clicks on. But having those metronome clicks can be annoying, so is there any way to get a visual blinking light or something?? Thanks for the help.
If you want to see some of my work on Logic, check it at: bufjap.blogspot.com I'm an aspiring movie music composer.

Answer 1

Hi B,
Welcome to the forum!
well, a very simple way to do it, is:
load the Klopfgeist (metronome "sound" click generator) as a soft synth
(yes in a track) with the pencil tool click on a track to create a region, double click
to open the piano roll, and write how many clicks you want on the grid.
On the transport bar, Just under the denominator (say 4/4) is the Division that goes
from 4 to 192 (click and drag up or down with the mouse) this value determines
the number of divisions per measure, so you have enough!
As the Klopfgeist is a soft synth per se, you can customize a lot from tonality to level or even load
some presets (actually about 10) or make the downbeat one or more octaves higher than the
other clicks etc. .
This seems a long explanation but takes about 10 seconds to make.
Peace,
Jorge