Tempometer with count in feature

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danondrums

Well-known Member
I’m not sure if this exists but what I’m looking for is:

A device that detects current tempo that has the ability to have a lead in count.

So, if a song is at 150bpm I want to start it at the tempo, and then when sound is detected it would switch to detecting the pulse and displaying.

I’m learning a ton of new songs and something like this will certainly help in getting everything down quicker and could also be a huge help in live playing.

Does this exist?
 
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Simplist is an app called LiveBPM, which gives you a real-time tempo readout (to the 100th of a beat!) as long as there's an identifiable pulse in the song. It works about 99.9% of the time with recordings or live playing.

You can also use tap-tempo in most metronome apps to help determine tempo, which is a bit more fool-poof since you're tapping the tempo as you hear it (and not relying on the app to know where the pulse is.) You tap along to the song and after 4 or 5 taps, stop tapping and the click will continue at the tempo (of your last two taps.) Let it run and see if it 'sticks' with the song. if it drags, do a + to catch up, or if the click rushes, do a - to bring it back. It will probably take a few adjustments, but once you've got it, you know that's the tempo.

As for getting an app to determine AND set the tempo, THEN set-up a count-off for you, I don't know. You may have to actually do a little work yourself. :O

Anyway, once you establish the tempos, note them on your song list. When performing, key-in the tempo for the particular song, and you're good to go. Once the metronome is started, that's your count-off. No need to have a specific count unless your counting into a sequenced arrangement.

Bermuda
 
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danondrums said:
So, if a song is at 150bpm I want to start it at the tempo, and then when sound is detected it would switch to detecting the pulse and displaying.
Click to expand...

Again, I don't know if an app can give you a tempo, then start monitoring it when you start. LiveBPM is your best bet in combination with a metronome app that will give you the tempo in the first place. I guess that means using 2 phones, or an iPad and a phone. (Do the new iPads display 2 app windows side-by-side? That would be handy to have it all in one!)

But while starting and maintaining tempos are both important, don't drive yourself crazy trying to monitor and adjust your playing. Work on your time as a separate function, which you should be doing anyway. Keep a list of song tempos and use an app so you can start each song at the predetermined speed. That's more important, since starting tempos can vary wildly based on your excitement level, how tired you are after a few sets, or if you've had some alcohol. The metronome never lies.

Bermuda
 
Thanks Bermuda - I’ve been all over my tempo in practice and for the fun of information wanted to see what it’s doing in live situations. There’s another app called Beat Mirror: Detect. BPM that does the monitoring with a 4, 8, 12 or 16 beat lead in which should get the job done.

Definitely smart to prioritize the starting tempo over being able to see what my live tempo is. It would be cool if there was a non-phone dependent device to do this with as I don’t like the image of checking my phone to set tempos between songs... It’s like I’m checking my phone for texts or something lame as opposed to enjoying being able to play drums for people which is what it is all about.
 
danondrums said:
It would be cool if there was a non-phone dependent device to do this with as I don’t like the image of checking my phone to set tempos between songs...
Click to expand...

There was a device called the Beat Bug that you clipped on your snare rim, and it determined the tempo. Obviously it can figure out the tempo based on 2 & 4 backbeats, but I'm not sure how it handles major syncopation. ?

I don't know if they're still available as new, but LiveBPM has pretty much replaced it. After all, 99.9% of the population has a smartphone with them at all times.

Bermuda
 
bermuda said:
There was a device called the Beat Bug that you clipped on your snare rim, and it determined the tempo. Obviously it can figure out the tempo based on 2 & 4 backbeats, but I'm not sure how it handles major syncopation. ?

I don't know if they're still available as new, but LiveBPM has pretty much replaced it. After all, 99.9% of the population has a smartphone with them at all times.

Bermuda
Click to expand...

Wow, that search brought up an interesting device.
Tempo Ref

Made by the same people as the beatbug. As well as beat detection it does count ins and is in theory everything I'm looking for. The price, how bulky it is and the added complication of it at a gig is less than appealing...

Live BPM it probably is...

Thanks for the help and talking me down. haha.
 
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I've never been able to find an app that does both. I use Pro Metronome for set lists and tempo starts that stop after 4 measures and Live BPM. It would be nice if one app did both by providing a set list with tempos and after a specified amount of measures go into monitoring mode. I think Tempo Ref ( a hardware device that clips on the drum ) may do this though.
 
There is a new tempo meter available called the RokTempo. It's smaller than the Tempo Ref and can mount on your drum using the DrumClip Accessory Adaptor. It's not a metronome so it won't count you in to a song.

I use the Tempo App on live gigs since I count all of the songs off. But I would like for it to stop after a few measures. Sounds like I need to look at Pro Metronome.
 
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