Metronome vs. Drum Machine - your opinion?

[ZonGuy]

I think there is a place for both:

Metronome (almost every day)
- Learning new songs and techniques, improving old ones. I often start at half tempo and work up, focusing on what issues pop up as I increase speed.
- Sight reading.
- Groove feel. especially on salsa and jazz.
- Improving my "hearing of rhytms" - i.e. placing 16ths exactly where they belong.

Rhythm box Boss Dr Rhythmn 770 (once or twice a week, esp. when not gigging)
- finding grooves,
- listening to the drummer and creating parts that fit
- stamina building
- creating new musical ideas and techniques.

I find that using the metronome to get my rhtymn ability straight helps me jam tighter with the rhythm box.

[Joel S.]

I sometimes use my laptop's production software as a metronome. Just find a nice hat and set it like a metronome.

I'd go for a nice drum machine over a nice metronome considering their flexibility.

[lowEstring]

I use a metronome to build up speed and to solidify my time, and a drum/rhythm machine to improve my groove.

There's so many ways to play around a beat; locked down on top, out in front, dragging behind, or a combination. You can work on the technical aspects of this with a metronome, but there's no context. On the other hand, if you only use a drum machine, you run the risk of rationalizing sloppiness as some hip new groove.

Use the right tool for the job.

[JTE]

Well, a drum machine can be set to only give you the 'hat or the snare on 2 and 4 so it can funtion as a 'nome.

But the points in the previous posts are dead-on. The 'nome can help you learn to keep time yourself, and using a full-blown drum track will let you rely on the drums instead of yourself. But to play with different grooves, a drum machine helps to find the spaces and to work WITH the drums.

Time and groove ain't the same thing and these two tools help you to work on each one.

jte

[JEBassman]

There are many excellent points made here. There is a place for both a metronome and a drum machine. I would also add that some practice should be done without either one, so that you are forced to concentrate on the tempo and feel of the music, away from practice tools.

It's possible to buy a combination machine, with a metronome and a drum machine. If you know how to use it, a machine can also let you play by yourself.

[ZonGuy]

Originally Posted by lowEstring

On the other hand, if you only use a drum machine, you run the risk of rationalizing sloppiness as some hip new groove.

Use the right tool for the job.

+1 to this and other thoughts in this thread.

[onlyclave]

I would only use a drum machine for practicing as long as its set to play quarternotes, just like a metronome.

Drum machines (and fancy metronomes like Dr. Beat) are too much of a crutch to improve individual time because there are so many subdivisions within the pulse. If you are playing to just a slow quarternote click then you have to internalize and create the subdivisions yourself.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

metronome on beat 4

[felman]

....then whats a good drum machine that is a software only that can be used in a laptop?

[Funkdrawer4]

Good question,any answers?^^

[pjwalsh]

Hydrogen is a good simple virtual drum machine.

http://www.hydrogen-music.org/

works within windows or mac or linux and it can be either metronome or beat box.

[Alex E]

both are great. I think any bassist who can use both should do so.

[GianGian]

Altough I rarely use any of the two, I agree with you.

[lowEstring]

Originally Posted by felman

....then whats a good drum machine that is a software only that can be used in a laptop?

I have an old program called Hammerhead. It lets you create beats fast, and would be perfect for use on a laptop. Here's a link: http://www.threechords.com/hammerhea...oduction.shtml

[wazzel]

Drum machine is what I have and what I would suggest. It should have or you can make a click track that would function as a metronome.