Using the metronome

[Inisfail]

Hey

I just downloaded a metronome and do you guys know any good exercises to improve pulse, rythm etc. using the metronome? Everyone talks about triplets, 16th etc and I guess that means "X notes/beat?

Should I just play those groups randomized or strictly one group at the time?

[Azrael]

there are virtually endless possibilities to practice with a metronome. but keep in mind, that a metronome should only be your support - not your god. what i mean by that is. that you should not set your metronome to a speed where every note you play falls over one click to make it easier for you. if you rely too much on your metronome, you will have difficulties in filling the free spaces between your drummers notes accurately when he play at a slower pace.

as for the excercises...

each click of the metronome stands for a quaternote (unless otherwise stated in the score you want to play)

that means you can start out with what is called the rythm-pyramid.


1 + & + 2 + & + 3 + & + 4 + & + 1 metronome
I I whole notes
I I I half notes
I I I I half note triplet
I I I I I 1/4 note
I I I I I I I 1/4 note triplet
I I I I I I I I I 1/8th notes
I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1/8th note triplet
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1/16th note

and so forth

then set your metronome to be not the 1-2-3-4 but the "&" and play the same thing. then insert rests. set the metronome on "+"
then set your metronome on 1 and 3 and so forth.
hope that helps .. gotta create a tutorial for that on my host section....

[Inisfail]

Allright, I think I understand what u mean. Some parts, at least..

Well, a tutorial would be great! I may write some more detailed questions further..

By the way, I got my metronome through Cool Edit Pro, is there any better?

[Jamiephofe]

Just buy a decent digital metronome, they arn't much money.

I have one that cost me about £12 and it does 4/4,3/4,2/4 from about 60 to 240bpm and tunes to A, that'll do for the basics. I'm not sure if there are any digital metronomes that do more interesting time signatures though, such as compound time sigantures... I guess there must be.

- J

[Inisfail]

Well, I'm a poor student with barely money for eating.. But, I guess you're right.

[Jamiephofe]

Me too mate, just buy lots of bread :)

Just got myself a new bridge pickup and I was stuck with toast for about a week.... but it rules, so i'm ok with that.

[Inisfail]

Haha! Well, I buy mostly nudles. Allmost for free, but gives you a bad stomic :(

[Inisfail]

Jesus, I tried the metronome on metronomeonline.com . I have seriuos problems playing along. I've played with drummers before, and that hasn't been any problems..

Should I start playing at a high tempo and just play whole notes? Then half the tempo and play half notes? Then half the tempo again and play 4th notes? Etc.etc.

Is that a good way to start?

[Inisfail]

Ah, I got it! I gave it an hour and now it wasn't that hard after all. Kinda fun, acctually..

But, I thought triplets was third notes. But Someone wrote 16 notes in triplets, and that didn't make any sense to me.. Please someone, what is a triplet?

[Azrael]

a triplet is 3 notes played in the time of two.
example:

if you play 1/8 notes you play 2 notes per beat evenly like


1 2 3 4 1
x x x x x x x x x

if you play 1/8 note triplets you play 3 notes per beat evenly like


1 2 3 4 1
x x x x x x x x x x x x x
\-3-/ \-3-/ \-3-/ \-3-/

you get it? same goes for quintuplets and all other kinds of uneven groupings. Check out the polyrythmics tutorial in my trick-section.

[Inisfail]

Ah, of course..

Yeah, it makes sense now.. So it's kinda of logic to chose triplets when you play 3 notes/string, right.. And quintuplets when it's 5 (?) notes/string?

I can't read notations, but when sometimes the notations is written above exercise-tabs, there is a 3 written under a bunch of notes. Is that triplets?

[Azrael]

Ah, of course..

Yeah, it makes sense now.. So it's kinda of logic to chose triplets when you play 3 notes/string, right.. And quintuplets when it's 5 (?) notes/string?

Not realy - triplets or any other grouping of notes per measure does not depend on how many notes you play per string.


I can't read notations, but when sometimes the notations is written above exercise-tabs, there is a 3 written under a bunch of notes. Is that triplets?

yes - normally that indicates that the 3 notes above (or below) the bracket where the 3 stands are to be played as triplets. sometimes it is also written as 3:2 (3 notes in the time of 2) .there are also a whole bunch of other groupings like 5:2, 5:4, 7:4 etc..

[Inisfail]

Not realy - triplets or any other grouping of notes per measure does not depend on how many notes you play per string.

Ok

yes - normally that indicates that the 3 notes above (or below) the bracket where the 3 stands are to be played as triplets. sometimes it is also written as 3:2 (3 notes in the time of 2) .there are also a whole bunch of other groupings like 5:2, 5:4, 7:4 etc..

I guess I should try to find some books about this in the school liberary..

Thanx for your replies everyone!

[Inisfail]

I'm afraid I've to ask some more questions, Azrael:

In your "Speed-Repeatingpattern" I right now playing you start with three groups of 6th, right? And then you end up with a bunch of I may be very wrong, but aren't they 1/8 triplets? Or 1/6 triplets?

Am I right if I'm doing it in this way:

I begin playing 6 notes/4 beats on the metronome 3 times. To play the finishing triplets I play.. Well, I don't know how to play them.. They should, according to what I know (which is almost nothing, haha) be played in the same tempo as the beginning hroups of six..

Please, tell me how many notes/beat that's played exactly in your exercise, I guess that would help me alot!

Thanks!!

[Rockin Rick]

Azrael: Dude, you are the bomb! I must say you really know your stuff! and thanks for all the help that you give to people in this forum. You are a true asset to this forum. Keep up the great job!

[Azrael]

thanx rick *blushes*

however

i just checked my excercise and discovered that i made a mistake. i mis-counted the notes so i grouped it in sixtuplets and triplets. but that was wrong - its actually all 16th notes at about 200 bpm in 5/4 rythm. thats what makes it sound like sixtuplets for its a 6-note pattern and a 5-note pattern resulting in 20 notes (thus 5/4 since 5*4 is 20).
sorry for the confusing tab *lowers head in shame*

[Inisfail]

I'm sorry for bothering you, dude, but have I understood it right now:

It's a 6-note pattern. And it's 5/4. That means that I'm supposed to play 6 notes every 5th beat, right? So after I've played the groups for 5 times, I should hit a beat with the first note in the coming group? It's kinda starts over again?

I will check your polyrythmic-stuff.. That may give me some answers..

[Azrael]

It's a 6-note pattern. And it's 5/4. That means that I'm supposed to play 6 notes every 5th beat, right?

No.

4 notes per beat.

5/4 means that you have 5 quaternotes (clicks) per measure.

the pattern consists of 6 notes:



e----------------------
b-----------14--------
g--14-16-17----17-16-


thats the basic pattern with an emphasisis on the "14" on the b string.

the beat is as follows:



1 2 3 4 5
e-----------------------------------------------------14-------||
b-----------14----------------14----------------14-------------||
g--14-16-17----17-16-14-16-17----17-16-14-16-17----17----17-16-||
d--------------------------------------------------------------||
a--------------------------------------------------------------||
E--------------------------------------------------------------||

thats it.

[Inisfail]

Ah!!!! Okey! I get it!

Thank you very much!