 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Azzacca
Date: 2001-06-01 13:21
As some of you might now, I'm just now getting back into playing and have discovered a problem - keeping my tempo. Tapping my foot doesn't work, not that it ever really did, but now I don't have the rest of the band to keep me in check. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on metronomes. I think I should have one
Thanks!
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Author: John
Date: 2001-06-01 14:42
Yes, a metronome is helpful....but sometimes frustrating. There are times I am certain it is the one speeding up or slowing down. Certainly not me! The one I like is a Matrix MR-500. It has a nice loud click to be heard over your playing and is small and handy. Good luck!
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Author: Linda
Date: 2001-06-01 17:59
I agree, metronomes are very necessary...any of the small pocket size of good. i use Matrix as well..
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Author: Benny
Date: 2001-06-01 19:20
I don't really have a brand recommendation, but don't make the same mistake I did. I bought a digital metronome and whenever it is turned off it resets itself to 100. I've been planning to get a different one but I keep procrastanating...
Benny
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Author: Wendy
Date: 2001-06-02 00:24
Whew! I thought I was the only one who had a metronome that keeps changing tempo on its own!
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-06-02 03:25
Korg "Boss" Dr. Beat DB-88 earns my undying devotion. It does everything except assemble your horn, swab it out and put it back in the case when you're done playing. It even counts in a deep, sultry feminine voice. But like most women, if you want a lot you have to give a lot. $150.00 retail...hehe
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-06-02 03:38
I have an SS-22 and it does all kinds of neat things. However, I cannot use it because I have been unable to learn to play and listen to it at the same time -- I simpley am unable to concentrate on two things at once (lucky if I can concentrate on one thing, like walking).
My current teacher will not allow me to use one anyway (he discourages it, I should say). Azzacca, I like you, I've not been able to tap my foot and play at the same time. If I am playing quarter notes I can tap and do fairly well. But, boy those eighth notes (can't wait for sixteenths) will get you -- each time I tongue (even an eight note) my foot wants to tap. So, if a measure has eight one-eighth notes (tongued) my foot taps eight times, not four. You see my foot knows how to count! I'm just having a difficult time lying to my foot.
So, what I came up with is "walking". Yep! If you go for a walk (a mile-and-a-half, as I do a lunch each day) and go teh, teh, teh, teh as your feet hit the pavement (left, right, left, right), one, two, three, four, you will have tapped out 4/4 as you walk. Now try this. left foot=teh, right foot=teh-teh, left foot= teh, right foot=teh. This becomes, 1/4, 1/8+1/8, 1/4, 1/4 for one measure of 4/4. Not sure if you follow but once you start walking and counting you will pick up the cadence.
That's the easy part. Now you need to translate that to a seated position and foot tapping -- I'm working on this aspect now. I explained (demonstrated) all this to my teacher and he intends to use it with some of his students (should I patten this idea?).
Good luck .
~ jerry
Still in Clarinet Boot Camp
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-06-02 05:03
Like everything in music, playing to a metronome is an acquired skill. It is however similar to the skill needed to play in time with a director's baton, or a drum cadance.
Jerry's walking technique sounds like a good one and very similar to what new marching band players experience. Take it a step further and play while walking, but do that at home (or in the deep woods away from people.)
Be sure to set the metronome slowly enough when you first start work on a piece that you can actually play the piece at the setting. The metronome won't wait for your fingers to catch up! Then increase the setting a few clicks progressively as you learn the piece until you are at the meter marking.
To tap, or not to tap... What a question! Most musicians (including me) were taught to tap. The metronome practice should help steady the beat of your foot. After 40 years of playing and singing mine is rock steady, but it wasn't always so. If you tap in a group, do so quietly and accurately, or likely someone will step on your foot! I've seen it done!
I would buy an inexpensive electronic metronome. It is a simple device really, the bells and whistles aren't really needed.
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Author: Jonathan
Date: 2001-06-02 06:21
Dear Azzacca,
If you've got the money, the Korg Boss Dr. Beat DB-88 Metronome is the only way to go. I've had mine for about a year or so and just in the first week of using the subdivisions of triplets/semiquavers/quavers, my playing in time improved out of sight(previously I had been using one of the 'tick tock' pendulum type metronomes. It also has about 4 octaves of tones that u can play and this has helped with tuning. My only criticism is that it doesnt subdivide into 5 or 7 but u can get around this sometimes by putting 5 or 7 beats in the bar and then putting it at a really fast tempo (the range is from 35 to 250) (i think)(and u can have up to 16 beats in the bar)(and it has three clicking noises - 1 is just a 'tocking' sound the second is similar but with the important beats emphasised adn the third is a womans voice with a terrible American drawl) (sorry i'm from Australia). I generally have it connected to the socket in the wall as i use it all the time and couldn't be bothered buying new batteries all the time. Also you can program it to play so many bars of one tempo or beats per bar, and then change to a different tempo or subdivision etc. I tried this once for the 3 pieces by Stravinky - last movement. I gave up about half way through - its too complicated for me - just put it on the common subdivision. Anyway, i hope you find the metronome thats right for you and my suggestion is that - if you want to spend that amount of money (cost me $300 AUD) (and $40 AUD for the Power Pack) the best i've seen or used is the aforementioned one and it has improved my playing out of sight compared to the previous one i used.
Jonathan Farquhar
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-06-02 12:21
"...(sorry i'm from Australia)."
That's okay Jonathan. We forgive you.
BTW, out of curiosity, what kind of power is common in AU? AC? DC? 120v 220V?
Thanks for the tips.
~ jerry
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Author: Jonathan
Date: 2001-06-03 00:30
:-)
We have AC at 240 volts, which can sometimes get up to 270 in the mornings. it was pretty funny the other day while setting up for orchestra, I was trying out some new Festival A clarinets and it was just me, 2 percussionists and the stage manager that were there at around 8:30 in the morning. The percussion department had just bought a new vibraphone. One of them had finally bought a plug that changed the American socket into an Australian one. Unfortunately, it did not convert the voltage. :-) Soooooo, when she plugged it in, sparks flew everywhere, there was a big BOOOOM and the motor of the Vibraphone blew up. Luckily the girl didn't get hurt at all but it sure gave everyone a fright. sorry this doesn't have much to do with metronomes :-)
Jonathan Farquhar
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-06-03 00:56
That's why I asked, Jonathan.........................mebee some day I'll get down-under and I'll need to practice with my manual razor before I leave.
Thanks.
~ jerry
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