Metronomes

[jade]

I've been playing bass for a while now with few little progress and now that's I'm learning a bit of theory and practicing more, I'm looking into getting a Metronome to help with my timing.

Any recommendations? I looking for a fairly inexpensive one as I am yet another, poor college student.

[jadesmar]

If you practice near a computer, you could try some online browser-based metronome software.

A quick google produced this apparently free:
http://www.metronomeonline.com/

[tim99]

I like the Seiko SQ50:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/59490

They make a wood block sound instead of an electronic beep.

tim99.

[leanne]

I have a Boss DB-12 that I like a lot. As far as I know, you can't change the volume (other than muting it and using the LEDs), but otherwise it is pretty cool. It has tons of features, it is easy to use, and it was cheap too. I use it all the time and I have no intention of ever looking for something else. It is pretty rugged, too. It comes with a string so you can hang it on your neck, I guess (??), which means I swing it around a lot and bang it on stuff because I'm a dork, and it still works just fine. The battery has lasted a long time, too.

[hellrazor213]

as everything else, MusiciansFriend.com has some fairly inexpensive metronomes...i suggest seiko, korg, or boss...you can get a good one for as cheap as $30.00...

[fraublugher]

Originally Posted by tim99

I like the Seiko SQ50:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/59490

They make a wood block sound instead of an electronic beep.

tim99.

+1

avoid the beeping metronomes they're like trying to sync up with a cricket thats racing around the room

[slac65]

I'm looking for a metronome that plays different rhythm patterns. Any suggestions?

[johnvice]

I prefer this one by Sabine as it's cheap $25USD and it's also a tuner.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...14522?v=glance

The way my band's live set-up goes, once my bass cabs, flight case, and floor unit are in place, there is nothing for me to do until show time. It's alot easier to tune my basses of stage with my portable Sabine .

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by slac65

I'm looking for a metronome that plays different rhythm patterns. Any suggestions?

I have the Boss DB 88, and it can play different rhythm patterns. It can play one or two beat patterns from 1-8, so you can have it play any beat from 1 through 8, or use both beats to play 1+1, 1+2, 1+3, 1+4, etc. up to 8+8. This helps with practicing odd times, as odd time signatures are often broken up into two patterns. Like in playing 7/4, you may have the beat broken down into three beats and then 4 beats. Then you'd just set it to 3+4, and it would have an accent click on the 1 of 3 and the 1 of 4 to tell you where you are. You can use the memory function to save and play several of these different patterns in a row.

It has the option of clicks, wooden block sound, or talking, as in a voice counts off the beats (sounds weird, but it helps in complex rhythms), and adjustable volume. It has volume sliders for quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and eighth-note triplets, which are great for practicing something and then upping the note rate at the same tempo. It's got other stuff like a tuner and pitch adjustment as well.

It was a bit pricey for a metronome ($140), but it's the best one I've found for practice odd times and complex rhythms.

[Mike Flynn]

Nice one Brian - that looks fantastic - if there's another thing I should practice it's playing odd time signatures - this looks great for other stuff as well - I'll try and track one down in London.

Mike

[By-Tor]

Try this,
get one of those old-fashoin ones with the pedulum and prop it up on one side with some card board stock for example.
It will cause the metronome to be in odd time.