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should metronomes be used without accents?

#21
It depends entirely upon what you want to work on. Working on time signatures that you're not familiar with and so you tend to loose where 1 is? Use the accent until you learn it. Working on checking your time? Don't use accents (and don't use the 'nome on every beat either).

Analyze the purpose and determine the correct solution from that.

John
 
#22
JTE said:
It depends entirely upon what you want to work on. Working on time signatures that you're not familiar with and so you tend to loose where 1 is? Use the accent until you learn it. Working on checking your time? Don't use accents (and don't use the 'nome on every beat either).

Analyze the purpose and determine the correct solution from that.
Click to expand...

Ok, whatever works for you is valid. Seems to me thought the more you have a metronome doing the more likely you are to be listening to it over the music. I'm not quite Jeff Berlin but I am a metronome minimalist even working with Konnakol. The metronome is a signpost not a taxi.
 
#23
jeff arddun said:
Ok, whatever works for you is valid. Seems to me thought the more you have a metronome doing the more likely you are to be listening to it over the music. I'm not quite Jeff Berlin but I am a metronome minimalist even working with Konnakol. The metronome is a signpost not a taxi.
Click to expand...

I am not a 'nome fan either. I Luke that "signpost/taxi" distinction. Let the 'nome tell you when you're wrong, not allow it to drag you where you need. That's why I like the snare hits only use of a metronome.

I can see using it for a very brief time when first coming to grips with 7/4 and using an accent. But after an hour you should be beyond that.

John
 
#24
The only time I use a metronome is for recording, and I cannot recall in the last few years using one without the accent. When I'm recording I choose the methods based on the work flow and results, it's not about trying to make things harder in order to make myself improve as a player. I've done all kinds of things to make it easier. Self consciousness is the #1 performance issue in recording, so anything to bump up the comfort level or focus the player is fair game.

I could see that for some rhythmically complex music being built via overdubs, it would be easier to just not use an accent, rather than, say, build a complete tempo map, or customize the accents for each player. I haven't run into that.

The other practical use for a metronome in my life is to prove to drummers when they are unintentionally changing the tempo, but I haven't done that in years, and that was just one time because of a severe case of drug induced denial. It's basically a public vote of no confidence, for emergency use only.
 

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