 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: makasaan
Date: 2003-06-23 18:41
My daughter is a new high school freshman and was just told to get a metronome and a tuner. What features should we look for? Also, should we get a combination metronome/tuner or two seperate items? Any brands, types or other recommendations would be most appreciated. Thanks!
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Author: krawfish3x
Date: 2003-06-23 19:24
a standard metronome will probably be fine, just go to the music store in town and see what they have, it'll probably cost u $10-$20. the one i have only clicks on quarter notes, but some of them out there can click on eigth notes, triplets, etc. some metronomes( like a Dr. Beat) can run $200, but they are the best out there.
As far as tuners go, anything that can tune to A=440(440 hertz) should be fine. you could probably pick one of these up at a general music store or even Guitar Center.
the only perpose of combination metronomes and tuners that i have found is that they take up less space. You can only use one feature at a time though. I would recommend getting seprate ones because you can have a metronome clicking away and a tuner on ur stand both running at the same time.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-06-23 20:12
I think the Korg CA30 tuner is wonderful! Very compact, dependable, almost indestructible (mine has survived many falls off the stand with nothing more than the back popping off), and inexpensive, about $15-$25 depending on the store's markup. You can also calibrate the pitch setting from about 430-460 Hz (don't quote me on that range, but it's something like that).
Korg also makes a metronome that looks almost identical but is a bit more pricey than the bargain basement ones, about $30 or so. The LCD panel shows a virtual metronome arm that helps you anticipate the beat. I wish I'd gotten it instead of my QuikTime (which is still very good for the price, about $15).s
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Matt Locker
Date: 2003-06-23 20:24
I would agree that the Korg CA30 is a very good unit. I personally like the Seiko ST757 a little better as it gives me better feedback but they are both great units especially considering the price.
I would not get a mechanical metronome. An electronic metronome is IMO much more accurate and will easily fit into many clarinet cases. I would give the Seiko SQ50 a try.
MOO,
Matt
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Author: Marge
Date: 2003-06-23 20:52
I second the suggestion of the Korg CA-30. It has various functions and is small (credit-card size, though thicker). These (and/or maybe a successor model) are/were commonly available on ebay. I think I paid about $15 for mine, shipping included, a bit over a year ago.
With a metronome, your daughter needs to decide whether she has a preference for one that beeps (digital kind of high-pitched beep) or one that "tocks," reminiscent of the old wind-up swinging-arm type. I decided that the beeping kind probably would drive me up the wall (and maybe not be as well heard with the clarinet as with at least some other instruments). I wanted one that would "tock" loudly, not timidly.
I ended up with a Seiko SQ44, for a flat $20, tax included, from a local music store that had bought a close-out case lot--and got the last one, which I'd noted as a display model when I stopped in to put up a band-concert poster. It suits me fine. The mechanical tempo dial can be set directly and easily/quickly, unlike with some of the beepers. It doesn't divide the beat, as a few do (but I decided I didn't really need/want feature that anyway. It's just a pretty straightforward metronome. It does have a red light that blinks with the tock, and it can be set to blink the light only without tocking. Length and width are about the same size as my tuner, but the metronome is thicker (about 1", vs. 1/2"). Presumably, if SQ-44s are no longer available, there would be a successor model.
Further your metronome education by checking out:
http://www.metronomes.net
You can listen to some here also. If I hadn't happened upon mine locally, I probably would have bought one here. While trying to decide between various brands/models, I called with a question and spoke with a nice, helpful, well-informed person.
Final suggestion: For a student who has to drag all manner of things to/from school, stay with pretty small models for both. And unless cost is not an issue and certain bells and whistles are not required, stick with inexpensive models so that if one or the other is lost or broken, nobody will be undone.
Marge
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Author: Marge
Date: 2003-06-23 21:07
Follow-up to my posting:
I just poked around a bit at the website I mentioned. The Seiko SQ-50 appears to be the successor model to my SQ-44. For this model a second tone or tock evidently has been added (but I couldn''t listen because my present browser doesn't have the necesary plug-in and I didn't feel like downloading it). One also can tune to A or B-flat (only) with it (but this does not make it a full-featured tuner and hence is not a tuner substitute in my opinion).
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-06-23 21:08
The Korg tuners are decent. I use a CA-20. Whatever you get, make sure it can detect the full range of the clarinet. (I returned a tuner after I discovered it didn't catch my altissimo.)
The Korg metronome I Think Ralph is talking about is the MA-30. I quite like it. It has a bunch of different beat configurations, and you can tap a tempo and it will determine the bmp you desire (of course, you can set it manually too). It also has a volume knob, which my previous very loud metronome was sadly missing.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Webby
Date: 2003-06-24 00:40
I would really encourage you to get a tuner that sounds pitches as well as reads what you're playing. This is much more useful for tuning music in context. If all you ever do is tune every note with the dial, you'll train yourself to play out of tune because the tuner is equal temperament & designed to be equally out of tune in every key. If you have it sound the tonic and play against the "drone", if you will, you'll learn to adjust in relation to the pitch center (or other players). So, I wouldn't waste the money on anything without that feature. If you're aiming for cheap, QuikTime has an "electronic pitchpipe" that's acceptable (not fantastic, but it does the job) and is only about $15.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-06-24 01:06
Webby makes a good point. Once music is in context, using a tuner goes out the window for just about anything but the tonic. Tuning every note to find your tendencies is a good idea, but listening for a reference point is better when the music actually happens.
Many metronomes have a pich sounder inside them. It would seem to make more sense to put it in the tuner, but I suppose that the metronome is already making sounds so it's one less piece of added equipment. The Korg MA-30, for example, allows you to select from one octave's worth of notes, and can tune A to 438-445 (also 413 to 420 for those who want it).
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-24 01:08
That's like asking what car do you drive ... they will all take you from point A to point B (hopefully without any accidents on the way!). I find Korg totally satisfying ... but then again I'd have said that about any other brand assuming it worked the same way.
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Author: Sue
Date: 2003-06-24 05:34
My tuner is a Seiko ST757 fits in my case and my metronome is the Wittner Taktell Super Mini (wind up) these serve me just fine. To be honest my tuner it has functions that I don't even use and my husband can use it to plug in and tune his electric guitar. I've have my Wittner for "several years" and its been dropped, lets just say numerous times so the plastic cover has seen better days but it takes a lick'in and keeps on tick'in !!!!!!.
Sue
Post Edited (2003-06-24 05:41)
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Author: Clarinetpunk
Date: 2003-06-24 21:37
For a tuner i have the Korg OT12, an orchestral tuner, and i really like it, it has both the needle and the lights and has a great range (A0-C8) if youre looking for a long temr investment, and i have yet to upgrade my metronome (to a DR. Beat) so i am still using my DM10.
But if you are looking for somethin good, simple and inexpensive it woule highly suggest the Sabine MT9000. This little dude is awesome, It has a metronome AND tuner. It is a great protable size. They are also a HOT Seller in our music store. I believe they will run about $30 but is well worth is thus being 2 in 1.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-06-25 03:06
A metronome is a concientous musician's best freind...and can settle alot of issues related to tempo retention.
David Dow
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Author: Mark P. Jasuta
Date: 2003-06-25 03:45
I have a Korg OT-12 with the vibration sensor. Works great, even with high ambient noise levels. My metronome is an old wind-up, Seth Thomas, brass movement, walnut encased, pyramid shaped, dinosaur, but it does what I need it to do.
Best Regards
Mark
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Author: FredR
Date: 2003-06-25 06:44
Just a matter personal preference. I prefer metronomes that click and not beep. My home one is of the pendulum arm type, its great to practice taking your eyes off the music and watching a moving target (like a conductor), though not as acurate as a digital neither are most conductors.
I also veer to the old style tuner with an actual needle instead of an LCD display, which jumps around way to fast and quickly, especially if she needs to fine tune individual notes by lipping up or down. Also look for a chromatic tuner (one she use on the entire scale)
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Author: clarinetqween
Date: 2003-06-25 15:28
Go for the Sabine metrotune. It is a metronome/tuner combo which runs about $32 or so. I bought one because they were advertising it in our Music Dept. here and it was definantly worth it!
~clarinetqween
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-06-25 17:49
Great advice by all...I still use an old fashioned Taktell and a set of tuning forks given to me by an old Dutch clarinet player....they are at 440 of course.
David Dow
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Author: beejay
Date: 2003-06-25 18:01
My Seiko electronic metronome drove me up the wall, and I now use a Taktell, which fits in my clarinet case. I like the fact I can see the arm sweep out of the corner of my eye. It's a little bit like watching the conductor.
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Author: Marge
Date: 2003-06-27 02:06
Though inexpensive and small, my Korg Chromatic Tuner CA-30's display is mainly a needle-and-dial type. It also has a 3-light display above: center green for dead-on, left red for flat, right red for sharp.
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Author: justwannaplay
Date: 2004-03-06 15:50
Could anyone tell me if there is an online site for the type of tuning Webby refers too - i.e. I play into my computer microphone and it tells me what pitch I'm playing (since there is that great online metronome GBK points to - thanks for that!). Apologies if this is a ridiculous question - I don't have a very good ear and I would like to see what I'm sounding, preferably without spending cash at the moment.
TIA,
Elizabeth
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-03-06 16:29
My inexpensive Korg tuner is quite good, but popping a few more bux to get one with a broader compass would have been better.
Hey, GBK: Thanks for the free metronome. A bit hard to carry around, but the price is right! Funny, it seems to me that when the A=440 tone is on, the metronome slows a bit. I haven't tried to confirm this, and maybe it's just an error of my perception. Anyone else notice this? Or am I nuts all by myself?
Regards,
John
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-03-06 17:33
JMcAulay wrote:
> Hey, GBK: Thanks for the free metronome. A bit hard to carry
> around, but the price is right!
It's a handy link which I give to my students to use (since they all have computers) at home ...GBK
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Author: ksclarinetgirl
Date: 2004-03-07 00:40
I bought a new metronome last year after mine disappeared somewhere at home, never to be found again...anyway, I bought a MetroGnome from Korg. It's about $20 w/ shipping, probably a little more, and it fits inside your ear. It's really helped me hear the beat a lot better. It can divide beats up into several different subdivisions and has a range of tempos from 44-208 I believe. Worth the money in my opinion. I just to get a little case to put it in, it's disappeared on the floor of my room under piles of stuff waiting to be put away....
Stephanie :o)
"Vita Brevis, Ars Longa"
Post Edited (2004-03-07 00:41)
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Author: justwannaplay
Date: 2004-03-07 12:48
Sorry, I restarted this thread and should have been more specific. I did a search and came up with a lot of online guitar tuners, which I'm not sure would be of use with the clarinet. But really, I was hoping perhaps for a shareware program that would do what the small electronic tuners would do - i.e. read what you are playing.
Guess I'll have to shell out the bucks (or rather pounds in my case)
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