metronomical advice

hi, the drummer in my band has been told to start practising with a click track before we go into the studio. he's got a wee Korg MA-30 or something but its not loud enough to use while playing.
A guy in a drum shop is trying to sell him a set up which is £200 ($385) but i'm pretty sure there must be a cheaper option.

Anyone got any ideas?

i'm gonna try ebay but i'm not really sure what to look for. any help would be great. :)

sorry this is probably in the wrong forum room eh?

I'm not familiar with that particular metronome, but most have a headphone jack. If the one he has doesn't have the headphone output, just spend $30 on one that does.....He can get something for a whole lot cheaper than $385. Sounds like someone's trying to make some extra cash by suggesting the expensive route...

thanks.
the one he's got has a headphone output but its not loud enough to hear whilst he's playing.

Originally Posted by: JFRICKSounds like someone's trying to make some extra cash by suggesting the expensive route...

thats what i was thinking, he's been told to get a headphone amplifier too.... :(
i'm clueless at these things but it still seems excessive.

go from metronome- to amp, to headphones, and use the amp to increase the volume.

Dont need anything big. like a 10 watter is fine. whatever you got laying around.

right dont laugh if this is ridiculous but i've got a small peavey rage 15 watt amp, could i use that? its got a headphone out i'm sure.

If it's already got a headphone out, then putting it through a headphone amp is going to distort the hell out of it. (putting one amp on top of another)
You may be able to get it louder, but the distortion could do major damage to your hearing and headphones.

If you can use a computer, load up a cheap MIDI recording application that has a click track. Take the output through an external amp (like a cheapo radio shack 30 watt) with a pair of headphones. Then you can select a midi note that's clear and easier to hear, or put it through either an external keyboard or VSt instrument and use a sound that's easier to hear over the instruments.

You could also go a step further and use MIDI to program keyboard parts and patch changes on your guitar's multi-effects unit.

cant you just rig the metranome to where it is played out of the PA loud speakers and use the PA power amp to boost the volume?

i think that was suggested by a friend but i cant remember why we're not doin that!!

If you play it through the speakers the click would be audible on the finished track. The studio probably wants the drummer to get used to playing to a click in a pair of headphones because that's what's going to happen in the studio.

I think Schmange is right on the money there !!

yeah, he needs to practice with a metronome because thats whats happenin in the studio, the problem is gettin a metronome click loud enough for him to practise to without a pa system. maybe he should just play quieter :p

We just got out of the studio......The engineer wanted us to use a click track, but we said no...To us it takes away the "live" feeling that is needed to get a good recording. Just my opinion though.....

The drummer we used to have would practice with a metronome, he connected a cable from the headphone out into a headphone amp, and it didn't distort it, it worked fine....