drum machine or metronome practice

[Lowner]

I ahev always practice to a drum machine although I have a metronone. I used to practice to an electronic metronome but the doik,doik,doik noise it made drove me nuts after like 10 minutes. So I got a drum machine and I can practice for longer preiods of time. but recently I was reading a bass instruction book and it said practising to a metronome is better because you can hear yourself play. And you will know it you are intime or not and with the drum machinwe yor playing is hidden undee the drums. So it got me thinking what should I practice to. What do you practice to?

[Ed Fuqua]

Metronome.

If you can get a warm, open, swinging, sound and feel playing with a nome, you get to KEEP that when there are other musicians around. If you're playing along with a drum track, you have a LOT of stuff to lean on. Which means you never really learn to generate that feel for yourself.

Look all the nome does is click, YOU are the one that has to generate the interest by playing WHATEVER you are playing in a musical fashion - be it scales or etudes or improv or whatever.

[Samelot]

i have this program called acid, and i just pick a drum loop, and play over it at what ever speed.

[The Clap]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Metronome.

If you can get a warm, open, swinging, sound and feel playing with a nome, you get to KEEP that when there are other musicians around. If you're playing along with a drum track, you have a LOT of stuff to lean on. Which means you never really learn to generate that feel for yourself.

Look all the nome does is click, YOU are the one that has to generate the interest by playing WHATEVER you are playing in a musical fashion - be it scales or etudes or improv or whatever.

+1 -- The Fuquabeast is, as usual, spot on

[JimmyM]

There's a time to practice with a drum machine and a time to practice with a metronome. I would do the bulk of my practicing every day with a metronome, then use the drum machine practice as kind of a reward for doing good with the metronome. But Ed's right. Metronome practice means all the burden of playing with feeling is on you instead of the drums.

[steve66]

I prefer to use a metronome on beats 2 and 4 to simulate a drummers backbeat or just on the first beat in a bar. Having the metronome beat on all 4 drives me insane.