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So I realized in order for me to really digest this hobby of ours(or some of us), I need to learn drumming with a click. Any recommendations? I'm inclined to buying an ipod touch and getting those metronome apps. Does anyone have it? Should I get a dedicated metronome?

I think best-case is a drum machine or sequencer so you can play along with some loops/grooves. These days I use Tempo for iPhone.

arhyth wrote:So I realized in order for me to really digest this hobby of ours(or some of us), I need to learn drumming with a click. Any recommendations? I'm inclined to buying an ipod touch and getting those metronome apps. Does anyone have it? Should I get a dedicated metronome?

Yes, the BOSS DB-90 'Dr. Beat' metronome is perhaps the most used, industry standard if you will. It is by far the standard of DCI, DCA and highschool drumlines across the country (and others). It is the metronome of choice for most musical schools, colleges and so forth. It is perhaps the best standalone metronome you can buy.

To buy an Ipod Touch JUST for the metronome app would be silly. The cost is extreme compared to the value.

I have several metronomes, including the DB-90, programs on a netbook that interface with sequencers and various audio programs to play live with loops. (For the record a NetBook would still be cheaper then an Ipod touch for the power and usability).
I also have a small, simple metronome - the Korg MA-30.

I recommend the Korg MA-30 for those on a budget for $18.56 and free shipping from MusiciansFriend, it's a hard to beat tool. It's the one I use most for basic practicing.

Most "use" of a metronome comes in being creative in using it as a tool. Creative being, setting it to X tempo as only the 2 & 4, or maybe you use the click to mark the 'E' of the beat, or maybe the '+', or the A, or the first and third 'A' of the bar, or play against the click as triplet quarters, half note quarters, etc, etc

A metronome is a mandatory learning tool for any modern drum set player. The name of our game is Qualitative Repetition. In this game, the metronome is the quality control agent.

There are also some very rad products on the market, such as the 'Minus One' play alongs, which are full bands to a click, with the click, minus the drums and things like the "Turn It Up and Lay It Down" bass track's to a click, with the click.

I have a Roland Boss JS-5 Jamstation for sale. Its a backing machine that has tons of different styles of music to play along with (you can cut the drums or other instruments out). You can also record your performance along with it. Not really a metronome, but a great practice tool.

if I'm playing drum set, I usually like to play along with something. If I work on patterns or rudiments, it's either a free online metronome or the Korg handheld metronome (not sure of the model, its like 20 bucks maybe).

If you do have some sort of iDevice, I like Tempo 2 a lot. My favorite feature is its ability to up the rate after X measures, i.e. after 32 bars bump the bpm by 2. Really helps to get new motions flowing quickly.

Lucas Ives wrote:If you do have some sort of iDevice, I like Tempo 2 a lot. My favorite feature is its ability to up the rate after X measures, i.e. after 32 bars bump the bpm by 2. Really helps to get new motions flowing quickly.

That's pretty slick. I've been programming click tracks like that for years, nice to see a app that does it auto style.


For the beginner, IMO, the best option is the simplest. Most people don't even touch on the complexities of metronomic practice with a simple beep.

thanks for the reply guys. i heard Tempo apps are quite good that's why i got interested in an ipod touch. as i also have no dap yet(except for my nokia phone). 2 birds in 1 stone. plus seeing there's a new gen of ipod touch. i bet the fanboys would be selling their older gen touches to get their hands on the newest one.

anyways, YamahaPlayer, do you have the Korg MA30? looks good. can it play odd time signatures? that's really what i'm looking for. the boss db90 looks powerful, but i can't afford it.

When you say "play odd time signatures," what exactly do you mean? I believe that Korg will play 1,2,3,4,5,6, or 7 counts with the first beat accented (which is really all you need).

Having a full-on sequencer would allow you to get trickier -- programming in a Weckl-style half time phrase over the odd count, for example -- but I actually think it's better to learn that stuff yourself by singing it over the normal count New Breed style.

Yea, the MA-30 will Accent the first beat of up to 7. Keeping in mind it also plays triplet subdivisions giving you at least 9 and 12/8 additionally. As far as having that accent smacking on the 1.

It's about the best for the money, you can even get the Scott Johnson practice pads that have a built in MA-30. http://www.xymoxpercussion.com/ has them but their site seems to be down (might be helpful to note that Xymox makes most the major brands practice pads, so it is a good place to look for them at slightly then cheaper/more options as the big names).

thanks for the reply! what i meant was sequencing odd time signatures in a song. let's say songs i want to learn a song by Tool(Danny Carey). can i do that?