Metronomes

**outdoors4me** · May-04-2010, 9:11am

Hey folks. Do any of you use a metronome? If so, what do you use?

I really need to start practicing with one, cause I don't have a bass player in my head.

Thanks!

Beck

**Mandophyte** · May-04-2010, 9:37am

Most definitely! A Boss DB-90. I like the way it counts (human voice) the beats to me.

**KristinEliza** · May-04-2010, 9:46am

I use this one...because it's loud!

KORG KDM-2

http://www.sharmusic.com/Shop-Shar/A...onome-MKD2.axd

**RichM** · May-04-2010, 9:47am

After going through a lot of electronic metronomes, I found I preferred an old-fashioned mechanical metronome. I've been using a Wittner Piccolo metronome; small in size, easily transportable, but plenty loud.

**talbotpat** · May-04-2010, 9:51am

I use iTick on my iPhone...there are others. Works well for my needs.

**farmerjones** · May-04-2010, 9:55am

i use a Wittner mini.
No batteries required. Just wind it up.

**KristinEliza** · May-04-2010, 9:57am

oh...and don't forget about the free one!

http://www.metronomeonline.com/

**Steve L** · May-04-2010, 10:46am

I like the Sabine Zipbeat. Even if you have a bass player, you should practice with a metronome as should they.

**Jack Roberts** · May-04-2010, 11:28am

Ive got the old fashioned mechanical kind, but I use the one on my iPhone mostly, along with the iPhone tuner. When we play in public I stand right next to the bass player, who has perfect pitch and perfect rhythm, and is never shy about reminding us of that. (A good bass player is the best thing that ever happened to us.)

**Perry** · May-04-2010, 11:38am

I use this one; very loud but adjustable and a nice woody tone

http://www.metronomes.net/Matrix600.htm

**xntric** · May-04-2010, 1:22pm

At home, an old-fashioned windup Wittner; portable, a Yamaha QT-1. I don't use either of them nearly enough, though!

**Pete Martin** · May-05-2010, 11:57am

Originally Posted by Steve L

I like the Sabine Zipbeat. Even if you have a bass player, you should practice with a metronome as should they.

My fav as well

**Dan Margolis** · May-05-2010, 12:16pm

Sabine Zipbeat.

**JeffD** · May-05-2010, 2:09pm

Seiko SQ50.

**Narayan Kersak** · May-05-2010, 7:49pm

Google "metronome watch" I think that is a great idea! Imagine!

**outdoors4me** · May-05-2010, 8:19pm

Sabine Zipbeat ordered. For the price, it's worth a try. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Beck

**Mike Snyder** · May-05-2010, 8:34pm

Wittner Mini-Because sometimes electronics just annoy me.

**mandolirius** · May-05-2010, 9:01pm

Originally Posted by Pete Martin

My fav as well

Why do you guys like this particular one? Aside the digital vs. mechanical question, isn't one metronome pretty much the same as the next?

**Steve L** · May-06-2010, 7:39am

The Zipbeats are good and cheap. I like the size. It's about the same dimensions as a TV remote. It's got a loud woodblock-type sound vs a chirp or beep which I really detest. It's got a knob for adjusting the tempos vs a scroll through lcd. They're durable and reliable. I've had one for many years and dropped it more than once with no ill effects. It has a tilt back stand and runs a long time on a 9 volt.

It has features I don't really use such as an A reference tuning tone adustable through 440-445, an arc shaped led display that roughly approximates the swing of a pendulum. an earphone jack and supplied earphone, the option to have the first beat accented on every 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th beat.

I work in a music store and we stock a lot of metronomes and I just prefer this one.

**Steve L** · May-06-2010, 7:53am

Originally Posted by Perry

I use this one; very loud but adjustable and a nice woody tone

http://www.metronomes.net/Matrix600.htm

Wow, that price is really high.

**mandolirius** · May-06-2010, 9:12pm

Originally Posted by Steve L

The Zipbeats are good and cheap. I like the size. It's about the same dimensions as a TV remote. It's got a loud woodblock-type sound vs a chirp or beep which I really detest. It's got a knob for adjusting the tempos vs a scroll through lcd. They're durable and reliable. I've had one for many years and dropped it more than once with no ill effects. It has a tilt back stand and runs a long time on a 9 volt.

It has features I don't really use such as an A reference tuning tone adustable through 440-445, an arc shaped led display that roughly approximates the swing of a pendulum. an earphone jack and supplied earphone, the option to have the first beat accented on every 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th beat.

I work in a music store and we stock a lot of metronomes and I just prefer this one.

Good answer! Thanks for all the detail. It's a lot more than I was able to glean from any site that was actually selling them.

**Loretta Callahan** · May-06-2010, 9:15pm

Another Wittner Super Mini user here. Just winder up!

**Miked** · May-06-2010, 9:46pm

Good 'ol traditional Wittner. Just like the one my mom had sitting on the piano.

**OldSausage** · May-06-2010, 9:50pm

Originally Posted by JeffD

Seiko SQ50.

Me too. It has a good tock, it's small, has a nice dial and simple controls, plus it has a volume control. I used to use a zipbeat a long time ago, and I think I remember it annoyed me because it had no volume control.

**foldedpath** · May-06-2010, 11:08pm

Originally Posted by mandolirius

Why do you guys like this particular one? Aside the digital vs. mechanical question, isn't one metronome pretty much the same as the next?

The one "extra" thing I like in a digital metronome is a tap tempo button. My S.O. uses one; it might be a Korg, I can't check the model number right now.

When we're playing a reel and wondering if it's getting close to an actual dance tempo, I can grab that little box and tap in the tempo we're playing, and it tells me where we're at. Free computer software will do that too, but this is something we can leave on a table in the music room and grab when we want it.

For me anyway, tap tempo is the one feature that justifies modern, compact electronic metronomes. I'm real lazy about using a metronome for what it's supposed to be used for, like gradually increasing my speed.

Edit: Just checked, it's a Boss "Dr. Beat" DB-60