Metronomes, revisited
Rob
asked for those that had more click than beep, and had a couple other
things going. Some great comments (thanks).
At least three of the recommendations were for the Boss Dr. Beat
DB-30, so I decided to give it a try. Yep, it's kind of an enigma...
(you knew where this was going). It's something between a click and a
beep. Kind of like a very pitched clave. Penetrating. Not bad, but not
a wooden 'tock' either.
The thing that caught me by surprise is the user interface. You have
tiny lettering on an LCD with no backlighting. That's a bad start. But
then there are modes within modes on this tiny little thing, and no
'magic key combo' to reset to a known point. I'm no
granny-with-blinking-VCR, but on the first go, I managed to get into
some odd multi-meter cycling thing, and floundered around a while to
get back to 4/4.
First question: Is there some hidden keystroke combo that will take
things back to plain 4/4? You know, press these two keys to reset.
How do you guys deal with that?
Have you (well, all three of you) found the more complex settings
useful? I thought a couple were cool, but that the rest belonged on a
larger box with a readable screen. (Tiny tiny letters, so it's
impossible to make out anything in dim light.)
Jack
"Rob" <Rob@no_mail_.com> schreef in bericht
news:pr36j515572nrdgps...@4ax.com...
> First question: Is there some hidden keystroke combo that will take
> things back to plain 4/4? You know, press these two keys to reset.
?
Restoring the Factory Settings
This returns all settings on the DB-30 to the values they
had when the unit shipped from the factory.
1.
Hold down the START/STOP button as you press
the POWER button to turn the power on.
" F " is indicated in the display while the START/
STOP button is held down.
All of the settings are restored to their original factory
status
oasysco
Greg
blackcat
> "Rob" <Rob@no_mail_.com> schreef in berichtnews:pr36j515572nrdgps...@4ax.com...
Just been given one for Christmas! However, unclear as to how to set
it to the '2' and the '4' for a swing beat. Any ideas svp??
Blackcat
Rob
wrote:
>We love MFNs here! :)
>
>Greg
MFNs...I'm drawing a blank. ?
Rob
Thanks, Jack. I think that's for resetting the internal firmware
after a crash--it resets everything. They have apparently had a lot of
firmware crashes and lockups (noticed a lot of this on my initial web
search). But yes, one of those things is the time-signature, so I
suppose that's the fallback.
I've seen this model called the DB-30C, so I thought that maybe the
"C" suffix meant that bugs were fixed. But it would have been nice to
have added a 'reset-to-4/4', given the number of fanciful polymeters
in the menu. I bet that less than 1% use most of those things (John
McLaughlin and Hungarian folk dancers).
Unfortunately the up/down buttons have three 'modes' so you can intend
to bump up the tempo a bit as you're getting the line together. But
you end up changing meter or accent or whatever, then having to
backtrack. All the while working from menu text that's literally 1/16"
high. IOW, essentially blind if in dim light.
So...while I'm grateful for the recommendations, I'll continue looking
for the perfect little metronome. I do have a couple larger ones that
work well. Just too big.
My updated wishlist:
1: Pocket-sized
2: Fine control of tempo (many have increments of 6 bpm at the top)
3: Non-pitched sound, closer to sound of old wooden metronomes.
and now I'll add:
4: User interface that can be used in low light (practicing late in
the park). Actually a simple rotary knob would be perfect, but they
all have wide BPM increments.
Rob
<blac...@wanadoo.fr> wrote:
>On Dec 24, 8:49�am, "Jack" <NOS...@xs4all.nl> wrote:
>> "Rob" <Rob@no_mail_.com> schreef in berichtnews:pr36j515572nrdgps...@4ax.com...
>>
>> > First question: Is there some hidden keystroke combo that will take
>> > things back to plain 4/4? �You know, press these two keys to reset.
>>
>> ?
>>
>> Restoring the Factory Settings
>>
>> This returns all settings on the DB-30 to the values they
>>
>> had when the unit shipped from the factory.
>>
>> 1.
>>
>> Hold down the START/STOP button as you press
>>
>> the POWER button to turn the power on.
>>
>> " F " is indicated in the display while the START/
>>
>> STOP button is held down.
>>
>> All of the settings are restored to their original factory
>>
>> status
>
>Just been given one for Christmas!
Oops! Ignore my complaints then. It's probably fine for everyone but
my picky self. <g> Especially if you are always using it in room
light.
> However, unclear as to how to set
>it to the '2' and the '4' for a swing beat. Any ideas svp??
>
>Blackcat
Lots of options, but I don't think that's one. But selecting 'Rhythm'
with the Rhythm/Beat switch. Then step forward two settings from 4/4.
That should show a tiny 8th rest followed by a tiny quarter note. On
the upbeat, IOW. So not 2 and 4 as you wished, but a micro version of
the same. Maybe throttling back the tempo would get you there?
Also there's the high ping on downbeat of 1, so you'll have that
reference point. Whether you want it or not. (Without it, it would
just sound like 4/4, with a desynch'd graphic display)
blackcat
Sincere thanks but is life not too short!!!! I think this little
beauty is going right back to the store!
Blackcat
Rob
<blac...@wanadoo.fr> wrote:
>On Dec 24, 12:27�pm, Rob <Rob@no_mail_.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:35:16 -0800 (PST), blackcat
>>
>> > However, unclear as to how to set
>> >it to the '2' and the '4' for a swing beat. Any ideas svp??
>>
>> >Blackcat
>>
>> Lots of options, but I don't think that's one. �But selecting 'Rhythm'
>> with the Rhythm/Beat switch. Then step forward two settings from 4/4.
>> That should show a tiny 8th rest followed by a tiny quarter note. On
>> the upbeat, IOW. So not 2 and 4 as you wished, but a micro version of
>> the same. Maybe throttling back the tempo would get you there?
>>
>> Also there's the high ping on downbeat of 1, so you'll have that
>> reference point. Whether you want it or not. (Without it, it would
>> just sound like 4/4, with a desynch'd graphic display)
>
>Sincere thanks but is life not too short!!!! I think this little
>beauty is going right back to the store!
>
>Blackcat
I hope I didn't cast it in a negative light. There are things that I
like about it, and I'm not sure what is better in that form factor.
I'm not sure how they did all the other stuff and missed "accent 2 and
4" though.
Of course you could always do that the old way: Set a slow tempo and
play 1 on the up-beat.
blackcat
Not at all! It does seem to have a lot going for it but the 2 and 4
thing is fairly important and as you say, cannot imagine how they came
to miss it. Do you know of another model with this facility and maybe
simpler and clearer/more visible settings? Thanks in advance.
Blackcat
Marc Why
>
> Not at all! It does seem to have a lot going for it but the 2 and 4
> thing is fairly important and as you say, cannot imagine how they came
> to miss it.
>
I'm a DB-30 user, and I think it's a great little system -- do not
throw it away! Yes, after my kids get a hold of it and press all the
buttons, I have to reset the rhythms, etc., but c'mon, that takes
about 30 seconds. Also, for $30, I don't expect a whole lot of fancy
features, back lighting, etc. The same features not too long ago cost
about $200, so I'm thrilled with it.
Re: the 2 & 4 thing: just set the rhythm on "1" (not 4), and set the
tempo to wherever you want to swing, and then count in-between the
clicks -- i.e., the clicks are the 2 & 4: "one, <click>, three,
<click>" etc. [the click is your finger snap or the high-hat beat].
There's no need for a 2&4 or 1&3 setting.
If you can find something better for this price, by all means, let us
know!
Marc
oasysco
> On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:18:21 -0800 (PST), oasysco <oasy...@cox.net>
> wrote:
>
> >We love MFNs here! :)
>
> >Greg
>
> MFNs...I'm drawing a blank. ?
A few years ago, there was this rather "spirited" group of threads on
metronomes that degenerated to the point of driving some folks away
from RRMGJ, which prompted someone to rename the word "metronome" to
metro-f'in-nome or MFN for short.
Greg
oasysco
> wrote:
>
> >We love MFNs here! :)
>
> >Greg
>
> MFNs...I'm drawing a blank. ?
If fact, this may the thread that precipitated everything:
Greg
rob
<mar...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> Not at all! It does seem to have a lot going for it but the 2 and 4
>> thing is fairly important and as you say, cannot imagine how they came
>> to miss it.
>>
>
>I'm a DB-30 user, and I think it's a great little system -- do not
>throw it away! Yes, after my kids get a hold of it and press all the
>buttons, I have to reset the rhythms, etc., but c'mon, that takes
>about 30 seconds.
Do you have some 'method' for doing that, or are you looking at the
display? If the latter, how long does it take under a dim street
light? <g> Seriously, I was surprised that they chose to make the
print 1/16", since the LCD is relatively large. The text is tough on
my eyes in normal light. And having to press a button to switch the
up/down buttons to control beat/bar/tempo sucks. I would have
appreciated it a lot more if they had dedicated up.down for just
tempo.
Given that I won't use the more esoteric features much, it makes sense
for me to go with a simpler user interface, and hopefully one with a
more visible display.
> Also, for $30, I don't expect a whole lot of fancy
>features, back lighting, etc. The same features not too long ago cost
>about $200, so I'm thrilled with it.
Where do you get those for $30?
>If you can find something better for this price, by all means, let us
>know!
I took a quick look at the Korg MA-30 today, and for me, it seems more
usable. Annoying pitched beep, but that was the case with the DB-30 as
well. It has a volume control! And it's $20.
The sales guy (good guy) recommended that I check the Korg KDM-2.
It's bigger (4" x 4" x 2") but apparently has some volume. There is a
dedicated volume control (as on the MA-30). It has a dedicated rotary
dial for tempo! That's what I was looking for.
So the down-side is size and a bit more expense. I haven't seen it, so
this is mostly via the Korg site:
rob
wrote:
>On Dec 24, 6:00�am, Rob <Rob@no_mail_.com> wrote:
Thanks! I had caught part of the discussion on metronomes and was
surprised that there was any opposition to using them. But I didn't
get that far into the thread to see the "MFN" designation. Pretty
funny.
Paul Mitchell Brown
I still think the Sabine Zipbeat is what you're looking for (although
your pocket would have to be quite large):
http://www.amazon.com/Sabine-ZIPBEAT-6000-Zipbeat-Metronome/dp/B0002E1MLA
bruceh...@hotmail.com
> asked for those that had more click than beep, and had a couple other
> things going. Some great comments (thanks).
> I had posted an inquiry re small metronomes a couple months ago. I
> asked for those that had more click than beep, and had a couple other
> things going. Some great comments (thanks).
Here is a partial response.
I like it simple, easy to use, portable, wood tock sound (not
crickets), mini jack out for those hard of hearing......and not too
expensive, $18.00 W/O shipping, doesn't hurt either. No bells or
whistles, and I even cover up the LED, so it doesn't distract, and
tend to not look at the numbers, but just feel, Slow, Fast or.. well
you know...half- fast(spelling?). Plenty loud, turn it sideways if too
loud. I recommend it to my students, and love it. .. Hope it might
help someone. I also have a nice Korg KDM-1 (4yr old -nice wood block
sound-Adjustable Vol but too big, and expensive) but never use it.
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Matrix-MR500-Quartz-Metronome?sku=210023
Merry, merry do enjoy the day! -b
http://BruceHelgeson.com
Rob
I did see your original recommendation for the Zipbeat (thanks), and I
did check into it. It's a bit larger than I wanted, but I may get one
anyway. I like my current rotary dial metronome (Seiko maybe?)--has a
solid 'tock' sound, but it's big, and the tempo increments are too
large at the top.
What I was trying to do was play through lines to 'burn them in', and
slowly edge the tempo up, but the larger tempo gaps seem huge when I'm
already right on the edge.
So the rotary dial is cool cause you just give it a twist. The DB-30
was sharing the up/down between tempo and a couple beat settings, so
not as cool.
Rob
I'm gonna end up with a nice collection of metronomes. That is another
that I had been looking at. Same deal with the tempo wheel though (see
my previous reply). I think the Matrix jumps about 6 or 8 bpms at the
top of the range. Still looks cool though.