I've been using a metronome wrong my whole life.

What's Hot
joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
So i'd always set the (assuming 44) beat just to the bpm, probably with the accent on the first.  The same as most people

Then I read to half the tempo, remove the accent, and use the beat as the 2 and 4 to emulate kick snare. 

It's actually really good. 

Worth a try!

(yes it is a slow news day)
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • If you've been using a metronome your whole life you've got a big head start on most guitarists
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 4reaction image Wisdom
  • joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
    If you've been using a metronome your whole life you've got a big head start on most guitarists
    to be fair I can also spell it, so i'm ahead of drummers too!
    8reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited August 2017
    FWIW I prefer to use complex clicks

    So for 4/4 I'd actually use 1/8ths and 3 tones.

    UP down MIDDLE down UP down MIDDLE down

    But missing out beats is a good exercise too.  I know a drummer that prides himself on being able to land back dead in if the click drops out for a bar or two (he uses it as an exercise when teaching)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • joeyowen said:
    If you've been using a metronome your whole life you've got a big head start on most guitarists
    to be fair I can also spell it, so i'm ahead of drummers too!

    Lol I did just double check I'd spelled it correctly.   And it turns out if you google metronome there's a basic metronome that turns up on the page
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
    FWIW I prefer to use complex clicks

    So for 4/4 I'd actually use 1/8ths and 3 tones.

    UP down MIDDLE down UP down MIDDLE down

    But missing out beats is a good exercise too.  I know a drummer that prides himself on being able to land back dead in if the click drops out for a bar or two (he uses it as an exercise when teaching)
    I'll try that, I've got a metronome on my phone, and paid a quid or 2 for pro.  It does a lot of cool things to be fair
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited August 2017
    Yeah I have MetroTimer as one of home screen menu bar apps on my iPhone.  Has been a great purchase though I'm not sure if there's anything better, does what I need.  I have some MIDI bars in my Logic X Practice template arranged as per my description, using Klopfgeist.  Set them up by time sig so I can have 4/4, 6/8 etc just by looping a different part of the project
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    So for me it depends. If its really super-swung then I like a sparser click so you're not flamming constantly against the 1/4s or 1/8ths .... but if its super tight I like a busier click on a faster subdivision.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    If you're trying to paly straight though and you're dropping the middle clicks you might jsut be tricking yourself in to thinking you're tight when you're actually only on for beats 1 and 3.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    Just use it however you wanna use it, there's no right or wrong.  I guess the 2 and 4 thing is good for jazz but, then again, I've read that a lot of jazz musicians also count on 1 and 3 and they still swing hard.  If it works for you then good.  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    When I write riffs, I'll often set the metronome to 1/8 and then figure out what the time signature is afterwards. Usually it's something pretentious like 4/4 or 6/8.
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Drew_TNBD said:
    When I write riffs, I'll often set the metronome to 1/8 and then figure out what the time signature is afterwards. Usually it's something pretentious like 4/4 or 6/8.
    I don't use a metronome at all for writing riffs. Completely kills my flow as quickly trying out different feels and tempos is part of how I dial in my parts, a few bpm swing changes the vibe and I often find tempos fluctuate between sections. I'll map it out after it's written typically.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
    Drew_TNBD said:
    When I write riffs, I'll often set the metronome to 1/8 and then figure out what the time signature is afterwards. Usually it's something pretentious like 4/4 or 6/8.
    You use one for writing?  That's a cut above all of us
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    Placing the click on 2 and 4 really helps things swing a bit better. Also try the click on the '+' of 2 and 4 and then the '+' of 1 and 3. That'll throw things!

    Here is a good metronome exercise I nicked from Victor Wooten. Play a riff/line etc with the click at say 160bpm. Play the same riff but with the click at 80bpm, then 40bpm, 20bpm, 10bpm etc... That gets tough! 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TheBlueWolfTheBlueWolf Frets: 1536
    I can't write anything to a click as it kills the vibe. Otherwise a metronome is a great way of ensuring my timing is good.

    I might try the examples above though.

    Twisted Imaginings - A Horror And Gore Themed Blog http://bit.ly/2DF1NYi


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I started using a metronome pretty late in my guitar playing education, but once I did riffs sounded tighter, had more groove. Scales were more accurate and fluent. Soon enough I developed an "inner metronome" where you give the impression a click is going on even if there actually isn't, to show how well you're playing in time. Now before all recording sessions I'll jam the song solely to a click.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KDSKDS Frets: 220
    What's a metronome, I think drummer in my band mentioned about me getting one
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.