Metronome

[Dave Ferris]

I started practicing again with the metronome after a pretty long time away from it. I mostly use it for up tempo jazz soloing ( normally starting at 132 and above = half note) with the typical 2 & 4 click.

 

One thing about my older battery powered Matrix MR-600, I often struggle to hear the click when I put the lid of the D on half or full stick. Plus it seems the 9 volt battery looses its juice pretty quick, thus taking the volume down even lower. Basically the Matrix is a battery eater.

 

I used to have an electric Franz that was great and PERFECT in every way but it finally died about 10 years ago --fairly certain I wore that sucker out..lol Unfortunately the company went the way of free lance musicians making a living from playing music.

 

I see the Franzs on ebay going for around $25-40 which I guess I could take leap of faith on at that price. But it would be nice to have something newer that will function well for a long period of time.

 

Going digital, I know there's the popular Boss Dr. Beat ( and I understand it's LOUD) but pretty sure it's over kill for a simple click. So wondering if anyone has run into something a little cheaper in addition to having a more traditional metronome footprint that would sit easily on the piano. Again electric is preferable to battery powered. Thanks.

[MathOfInsects]

Have you tried any of the metronome apps? I swear by mine. I even have one that will flash different colors for different beats, for alternate ways of "feeling" the click.

 

That said...I know the Korg MA-30 is pretty popular, and is also cheap.

[Dave Ferris]

I don't own a smartphone, laptop or tablet type device. My piano is in the outside studio and my only computer -iMac - is in the house. But thanks.

[Theo Verelst]

When I read "metronome" I automatically think of those mechanical "swing upside down" click devices. I thought you wind those up..

 

T

[OrpheusNY]

We use this- it's loud enough. Boss makes smaller, cheaper versions of Dr. Beat, but lack of sufficient volume seems to be the common complaint about the smaller digital metronomes (unsurprisingly, I guess).

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1170935-REG/seiko_sq70_71903_quartz_metronome.html

[J. Dan]

Top 7 Metronomes of 2016 (including reviews discussing pros/cons, volume, battery life, etc)

[Dave Ferris]

Yeah I figured the Dr. Beat would be top rated.

 

Thanks for the Seiko link. I wonder if it gets louder them my Matrix. The D can get pretty loud when I'm really digging in and the lid is up.

 

I guess I could always buy a bulk of 9 volts at Costco. But they after a week or so if the thing being on for 30-45 minutes a day , I notice the volume dropping. Seems like I go through those things faster then running shoes these days.

 

I did find a little picture of the Dr. Beat on its plastic stand - 3rd picture down.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DB90?adpos=1t1&creative=158965180755&device=c&matchtype=b&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhZPDBRCz642XqYOCpb8BEiQANUcwTyOfsFGUnrUckGvnLvq7eYJhyaDEoueiaNqPI_IqGFQaAr4D8P8HAQ

I didn't know it could stand vertically like that. I figured it would only lay flat - making it harder to change tempos frequently in mid practice. I often jack the tempo up to 160= half note or higher for 8 bars , then bring it down to 120 to recover , then inch it back up. Having to standup and look down at it every time would be a major groove killer.

 

Man, I cried when my Franz bit the dust about 10 years ago. The best metronome ever made. Simple and loud ! It simply saw too many hours of Cherokee and Bb rhythm changes at 152 = half note. The thing just got tired and said enough alreadyI quit, you win.

 

Will probably bite the bullet and go with the Boss DB-90. B&H seems to have the best price on it.

[tnelson]

Are you sure Franz is out of business? His website is still up, and Franz metronomes are still listed for sale here:

http://userwebs.rmci.net/tdm/FranzMainPage.htm

 

Edit: Sorry, I see that they are listed, but when you click to purchase, it says out-of-business. Ah, well....

[CEB]

I use a Korg. Battery life is good. It is pretty loud but depending on how hard the hammers are a D could be louder. It has a earphone jack that I route to speakers or a second channel on a guitar amp if I'm working through my Guitar Aerobics routine. You would need a long earphone to (insert plug type here) cable. If the metronome isn't in hands reach it would be worthless.

[Mark Schmieder]

I still haven't found one I like, but have considered the one from Peterson, maker of strobe tuners. If you own one of their strobe tuners, you're eligible for a discount (I think) on the metronome.

 

Mechanical metronomes aren't accurate or consistent, unless MAYBE you know 100% they are on a perfectly level surface.

[hardware]

Did a gig in Vegas with sync and heavy automation.

Bandleader used a 128 LED Monome that lit up like a channel meter.

Started with green to yellow to red from left to right.

Sat by the vocal wedges and was really a great way to sync silently and even in the dark when moving props, etc.

They're pretty cheap but incredibly useful for audio/MIDI Chores.

[ElmerJFudd]

The Boss DB-90 is really useful with the faders for sub divisions and the audio line out to amp. Having a smart phone, I have to say I don't go for the DB-90 first any longer since my phone is on me all the time. But at home for practice or in a lesson with a student, it's still preferable.

[Joe Muscara]

[rant]I have a Boss digital metronome that was great for its day as far as features (though it didn't do 7/4) but it ate through those watch batteries it used like there was no tomorrow. I got tired of feeding it.[/rant]

 

My primary go-to metronome is the simple Yamaha one like this, but I would guess it's not loud enough for you, Dave. I have trouble hearing it over some things when I play my Kawai, especially at the top end.

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/QT1BR-large.jpg

 

Other than that, I use Pro Metronome on the iPhone.

[MathOfInsects]

FWIW, I own and love a Yamaha Clickstation. It is fully bad-ass. But a quick search suggests they are selling for exorbitant amounts now. If you have some spare funds, I highly recommend it.

 

http://data.yamaha.jp/sdb/local/products/images/9099/12001/9099_12001_1.jpg

[humannoyed]

I would recommend an inexpensive tablet and download a metronome app. There are many free ones and other inexpensive ones. The advantages are the variation in metronome sounds among the different apps, and the fact that you can do so much more with a tablet like listen to music, read books, or even post on this forum, which is what I am doing right now with my Amazon Fire. The downside might be the volume that you can get out of it if you need it loud.

[RudyS]

a bit OT, but I have a mechanical taktell metronome on my piano and I think it is somehow not completely tight anymore (*fill in jokes about my complete lack of time sense here*)......

 

Does anybody has this experience?

[Uncle Jam]

Does anybody who's familiar with the metronome apps know of one that has the gradations in tempo of a traditional metronome? In other words, instead of going 100, 101, 102, 103, etc, it would go 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 126, 132, etc.

 

I would also like it to sound reasonably like an old-school metronome instead of some sort of beeping sound. I don't care so much about all the fancy stuff, like changing sounds on beat one, etc. I'd just like to have a straight up metronome on my cell phone, and I'd like to be able to teach my students how to practice with a metronome. Any help would be appreciated.

[David R]

I use the EUMLab Pro Metronome app on my iPhone. It doesn't have the traditional gradations of tempo but the sounds are closer to a "real" metronome than the Android app I used to use.

 

I used to have one of those small Seiko metronomes that I beat to hell in my college years. I liked them - they were loud!

[rickzjamm]

I have an old Sabine Zipbeat quartz metronome & for years it's kept me honest.

[Uncle Jam]

Thanks, David. The sound is important. But I just can't believe that none of the metronome app developers have figured out that the tempo steps of a traditional metronome served a good purpose, and weren't just a limitation.

[stillplaying]

I'd like a footstomp box that continuously repeated after you'd tapped it a few times (like a really simple looper) but that could could also do the tap tempo thing when you tapped it with your foot - kept playing but at the new tempo you've just set.

 

Anyone on here know how that could be done?

[Iconoclast]

While we're on the metronome wish list:

 

I'm currently learning "The Spider" by Kansas. It's in alternating measures of 11/8 12/8 or something like that and it's real fast. That means you have to set your metronome to something like 350 bpm. Been practicing with a logic click. I can't find a metronome that goes much above 220 bpm.

 

The other thing I'd love to have in a metronome or piece of software is something that easily and accurately pulled the tempo off a song so I didn't have to tap everything.

[aronnelson]

I'd like a footstomp box that continuously repeated after you'd tapped it a few times (like a really simple looper) but that could could also do the tap tempo thing when you tapped it with your foot - kept playing but at the new tempo you've just set.

 

Anyone on here know how that could be done?

 

yes I do. All I would have to do is map something like the BT-105 Airturn pedal to tap tempo and the metronome would follow.

 

[aronnelson]

I can't find a metronome that goes much above 220 bpm.

The other thing I'd love to have in a metronome or piece of software is something that easily and accurately pulled the tempo off a song so I didn't have to tap everything.

 

Moderator - delete if not right -

The metronome I wrote for iOS will handle 350BPM easily.

PM me for info.

[David Emm]

I am chronically guilty of committing excess accelerandi-ism all too easily, so I've made a near-religious habit of setting up a woodblock click track and adhering to it. Well, usually, ahem. I sometimes STILL have to go back and re-do a section that suffers from overly enthusiastic speed-demon action. I had a very nice German wind-up 'nome that was eaten by circumstance and then a nice little Korg 'nome a drunken pal actually dropped into a fish tank. Ye gods!

[Frenchy06]

I'll be up to buy a beautifully made simple metronome, with a nice knob, built like a tank and with a retro futuristic look. The options right now are mechanical or cheap plastic... something that looks nice next to my nord stage. I mean we have these awesome synths and keys and we are putting up with toy looking metronomes. Who's with me?

[aronnelson]

That's it. I'm making my metronome app red. Of course that will automatically make it sound better. :-)

[Outkaster]

I use an app because I practice on different pianos during the week.

[aronnelson]

> All I would have to do is map something like the BT-105 Airturn pedal to tap tempo and the metronome would follow

 

Unfortunately I was wrong. I mapped the BT-105 to tap tempo but then I noticed the BT-105 has a built in delay. It will not tap faster than a set delay and the delay is rather long. Oh well.... Maybe it will work with the iRig Blueturn?

[Uncle Jam]

I can't find a metronome that goes much above 220 bpm.

The other thing I'd love to have in a metronome or piece of software is something that easily and accurately pulled the tempo off a song so I didn't have to tap everything.

 

Moderator - delete if not right -

The metronome I wrote for iOS will handle 350BPM easily.

PM me for info.

 

It's true. I tried aronnelson's metronome app, and it goes all the way up to 500 bpm. That's way faster than I can play! Works great and has subdivisions.