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Thread: Old-style metronome ...?

  1. #11
    The other thing we tried, but did not like, was 4 LED boxes on our stands. Since I was building metronomes at the time (before the small electronic versions came to be), I just extended that design and put some circuitry and an LED into to 4 interconnected boxes (Radio Shack stuff). Technically they worked, but they were not practical. I agree with the Drummer-land post that we are really tied to listening for playing together, and the LED alone was not all that helpful. Plus it takes your eyes off the sheet music too much of the time.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
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  2. #12
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    Yeah, it hadn't occurred to me that watching a blinking light for a downbeat (which is a single "event") is really quite different from watching a conductor conduct the downbeat (which is a process). On reflection, the now seems obvious and important.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  3. If I were building a visible metronome with LEDs I'd try to make something with a light that sweeps back and forth along a line/arc of LEDs so you can simulate the conductor's downbeat process.

    As far as off-the-shelf solutions go, you can't go wrong with a good old Dr. Beat.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by jimpjorps View Post
    If I were building a visible metronome with LEDs I'd try to make something with a light that sweeps back and forth along a line/arc of LEDs so you can simulate the conductor's downbeat process.
    That's how the MR600 does it, but I think that in practice it's a really poor simulation of a conductor (and in fact a poor simulation of a mechanical metronome). One problem is that these are too small for effective use with an ensemble that needs to see it some distance in front of them. Another alternative is to have a central metronome with individual displays. Apparently these exist (or people have cobbled them together). I'd guess that an effective wireless approach could be made to this (already done with "in the ear" sysems?). Perhaps if I were younger, I'd go in that direction, patent it, etc. But life's too short.

    As far as off-the-shelf solutions go, you can't go wrong with a good old Dr. Beat.
    There's no shortage of excellent multi-function metronomes around today. I've got two good ones: A Korg TM-50 and TASCAM PT-7. But none of these seem particularly distinctive in terms of using them for an ensemble.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  5. Any digital metronome with 3.5mm output jack
    Cheap guitar amp
    Male to male lead with adapters if reqired

  6. Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	4321No, I actually have one older: a real mechanical metronome. And I purchased it new some decades ago. Yes, for convenience, I do have the combination Korg tuner/metronome, but since I also play various bass instruments, the visual of the indicator going back and forth also lends visual reinforcement to making sure I am exactly on the beat with a drummer.

  7. #17
    Peterson's Bodybeat Sync will wirelessly synchronize a number of metronomes together. It also includes an optional vibrating attachment so you can feel the beat. I have just one and it can be pretty loud, but it doesn't have a great visual display.

    https://www.petersontuners.com/products/bodybeatsync/
    --
    Barry

  8. #18
    Barry, that's a new one on me! Interesting concept, and it's probably about time someone moved more of today's tech into one of these.

    Here is the Amazon link, where it is a bit cheaper:

    https://www.amazon.com/Peterson-4038.../dp/B003WTPUR4

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  9. #19
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    This seems to be going in the right direction -- though very pricey (in large part because of the multi-function capability, etc.).

    However, it looks to me as though the architecture is that each player would need a complete unit, and those units then "synchronize" with one another -- a kind of "peer to peer" architecture. For metronome purposes, a better (simpler, much less expensive) architecture would be just the one "central" (transmitter) unit, and then an arbitrary number of the receivers ("clips"?). But so far as I can see, it doesn't appear to be configurable in that way.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  10. #20
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    That is pretty neat! I like Peterson stuff. My favorite tuner app is the Peterson Strobe tuner called, "iStrobeSoft". It's not a real strobe but sure resembles one. It's easy to see how sharp or flat you are without actually staring at it. It's a bit pricey as far as apps go at $10.

    Thanks for sharing Barry.
    Rick Floyd
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    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
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