About To Order a Metronome

nocTurnal

Senior Member
I plan on getting this one: Korg MA-30.

I know that a lot of you own one of the BOSS ones. Seem like they don't update these metronomes too often or come out with new ones. This Korg here has been around a long time. Anyone know of anything new I should consider? I'd rather have one you can program into it what you want. I don't think this offers that.

I want one that is visual. I know many of you use an .mp3 that you put on your mp3 player. But I want something with a visual.
 
If you're not getting one of the higher end metronomes then they're pretty much all the same. Just check out the features and see if it has the things you'll need. Honestly you can't expect great things from a "cheap" metronome.
 
If you're not getting one of the higher end metronomes then they're pretty much all the same. Just check out the features and see if it has the things you'll need. Honestly you can't expect great things from a "cheap" metronome.

I'm willing to pay a little extra. What do you use? To be honest though, all those BOSS ones get bad reviews. Or most of them. So there is no clear winner it seems.
 
Either a Tama Rhythm watch, or a Boss DB-90. It really depends on how much you are planning on using your metronome and how many features you want. If you are planning on using it a lot, then go ahead and get the better ones I think. My drum teacher had a rhythm watch and I liked it. I have a Korg TM-40 and it gets the job done. But I also don't use a metronome very often, definitely not as often as I should. Also, don't know about the others but the Korg I have is pretty difficult to hear, even with good headphones on and it only plays through one ear, which kinda bugs me. Basically what I'm saying is just do a little research and think about what you are getting for the money and what you actually need. Personally I think it would be better to get the higher end ones just in case you want to use some of the features later that the cheaper ones might not have.
 
Honestly you can't expect great things from a "cheap" metronome.

I get your point and in no way am I trying to dispute it. But your comment did get me wondering.....what are people actually looking for in a metronome?

At the end of the day, as long as they go "beep", can subdivide to at least a 16th note, have a "tap" function and a volume control, what more can anyone possibly need? Even the most mickey mouse models will do that.

I know that the function where the met stops for X number of bars or can increase/decrease tempo may be desirable....but not even many of the expensive ones do that....normally guys are relying on computer programs to employ anything that advanced aren't they?
 
I have 6 metronomes - the best is the Planet Waves Full-Function Tuner & Metronome #PW-CT-05 it has the most features, very well made and is about $36

Wow. Didn't come across this one before. Looks VERY nice! Definitely considering this one now. Thanks a lot for sharing. This is what I was looking for. Most of these threads on metronomes list the same old metronomes... namely the BOSS DB series. So this was a bit refreshing to see.
 
At the end of the day, as long as they go "beep", can subdivide to at least a 16th note, have a "tap" function and a volume control, what more can anyone possibly need? Even the most mickey mouse models will do that.

Ya, as long as it can do the 16th notes, I'm pretty happy. I'm having trouble keeping time and playing "in the pocket" according to my teacher. All I have is a Quartz Quik Time and that is just a single click per beat. I need something I can set the metronome to play 1and 2and 3andah 4and. 1and 2and 3eandah 4and, etc and then straight 16ths .. 1eandah 2eandah 3eandah 4eandah, etc. I don't think the Korg MA-30 does that or not. Looks like it does play 16th, though.
 
I have a wind up one, not sure what the brand is but it's a high quality one not made specifically for drums and quite old. It's all clockwork not electric, pretty cool but it doesn't do any of those fancy odd time beats like some newer ones.

Click tracks on an ipod seem to work as well.
 
Ya, as long as it can do the 16th notes, I'm pretty happy. I'm having trouble keeping time and playing "in the pocket" according to my teacher. All I have is a Quartz Quik Time and that is just a single click per beat. I need something I can set the metronome to play 1and 2and 3andah 4and. 1and 2and 3eandah 4and, etc and then straight 16ths .. 1eandah 2eandah 3eandah 4eandah, etc. I don't think the Korg MA-30 does that or not. Looks like it does play 16th, though.

I own that model and I don't know of a way to program it to play 16th notes the way you're describing. It pretty much just plays quarter notes at the tempo you set. You can adjust how many quarter notes-per-bar, where it plays a special tone on the "1," but that's about it.

That said, it serves the basic purpose of a metronome plus it has the pitches that come in handy for tuning drums as well.
 
I own the Boss DB-90 and it can do ALOT of stuff (both timekeeping and tuning). If you want to see what it does, I suggest
going here: http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/_support/om.cfm?ln=en&dsp=0&iCncd=696&iStcd=4 and download and read the DB-90 owner's manual =)

I know it does subdividing (from 1/2 notes to 16th notes and 8th note triplets), different time signatures (1/4 up to 9/4, and you
can have it play anything from 1+9 beats to 9+1 beats) and can remember I think up to 20+ or something presets (if you're playing
a show and using it as a time check before songs). I also think it can play one time signature a set number of bars and then
change time signature. But I haven't tried that yet, and I know it does more.

And ofcourse it can function as a straight click ;-) That's actually what I mostly use it for.
 
I just use my old Boss DR-5 Dr. Rhythm Section. Works great. Basically a whole GS library of sounds in there, so I can avoid those standard annoying metronome sounds.

It's basically a 4-track sequencer.
 
I own the Boss DB-90 and it can do ALOT of stuff (both timekeeping and tuning). If you want to see what it does, I suggest
going here: http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/_support/om.cfm?ln=en&dsp=0&iCncd=696&iStcd=4 and download and read the DB-90 owner's manual =)

I know it does subdividing (from 1/2 notes to 16th notes and 8th note triplets), different time signatures (1/4 up to 9/4, and you
can have it play anything from 1+9 beats to 9+1 beats) and can remember I think up to 20+ or something presets (if you're playing
a show and using it as a time check before songs). I also think it can play one time signature a set number of bars and then
change time signature. But I haven't tried that yet, and I know it does more.

And ofcourse it can function as a straight click ;-) That's actually what I mostly use it for.

+1 I've got one and it's got quite a bit of niceties.
 
Hi there, man.

If you are still considering the MA-30, bear in mind that it has a mono headphone output, and it's not especially loud.

When I bought my metronome I considered that one but dismissed it because of that. I have a Boss DB-30.

I don't know what you mean with "Boss gets bad reviews" and "you can't expect much from a cheap metronome".. I mean, this thing clicks from 30 to 210 or something like that, has tap function, has all the subdivisions and 2 claves, and you plug isolating headphones on and can play with your drumkit and still hear it.. And it even has pitch functions.

Really, what else do you need for practice? If you are gigging and play with a click live and want to have a memory function, that's awesome, get a pro metronome, but to play at your house pretty much anything will do the trick.

God, sorry for the rant, it's just that it annoys me when people get so gear-dependant.

Cheers
 
I've had a Yamaha Clickstation (best, by far), DB-90, and an RW-105. I've pulled all metronomes out of my road case because nothing compares to my Tempo and Tempo2 apps for my iPhone. If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android look there first, read reviews, and buy that. Tempo2 cost me $2.99 and it beats all of the physical ones I've had. I can program anything imaginable and make setlists. It works great live.
 
Really, what else do you need for practice? If you are gigging and play with a click live and want to have a memory function, that's awesome, get a pro metronome, but to play at your house pretty much anything will do the trick.

God, sorry for the rant, it's just that it annoys me when people get so gear-dependant.

I need something that can subdivide because I'm having serious issues with both timing and playing in the pocket. Add to that I flam. I know a metronome won't help with flamming, but it can help with the other two. I've been practicing the same material my teacher gave me for too long. I've had it. If my timing is that bad, I need something extra. A single click isn't good enough for me at this point in my learning. Not until I learn that "internal time clock" that my teacher talks of. He doesn't even need a metronome. It was actually me who suggested to him that I get a better met.

The one I decided to get is the one recommened down below by DrummerWorld user 720 Hours World Record. It's called the Planet Waves Full-Function Tuner & Metronome #PW-CT-05. I've done a lot of research on metronomes, and for the price this sounds like the clear winner for me.
 
I had a Korg Beatlab and after awhile the adjustment sliders lost their sensitivity. Even with the volume all the way up it was hard to hear
If you have an Iphone or an Ipod touch you can check out those metronomes in the app store. So if you're looking to start with an inexpensive metronome I would look there. I have the "Visual Metronome" and it has as many adjustments as my Beatlab did, plus the option to change the click sounds. So for $1.99 I'd say its hard to beat.
 
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