skankdelvar Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) Here's a shareware drum programme. Free unlimited evaluation, donation if you like it. If you import your own drum samples, it's a corker, with exportable wav loops. [url="http://www.leafdigital.com/software/leafdrums/"]http://www.leafdigital.com/software/leafdrums/[/url] Edited January 12, 2009 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Any recommendations of a good metronome to buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 [quote name='Linus27' post='377932' date='Jan 12 2009, 04:41 PM']Any recommendations of a good metronome to buy?[/quote] Are you paying cash or buying it on tick? The Sabine MT9000 is about the size of a pack of cards, and has a reasonable woodblock sound which I prefer to a bleep, but its tuner is really slow on bass unless you play the octave harmonic and tune that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 "What do you actually play while your metronome/drum machine is ticking away?" I look out for good grooving songs that tie in closely to the beat. 'All Shook Up' is one and my tutor gave me a solid gold line for 'Get It On' that I can play right in there (keep meaning to post it on T&T). Most top songs have a drum pattern and bassline that mesh and compliment each other. You may find some lines feel odd/hard/tricky till you get the right drums however many drummers may not be able to come up trumps so another skill is simplifying or playing the 'proper' line regardless (drums become your passenger, yikes!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanOwens Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 [quote name='The Funk' post='376980' date='Jan 11 2009, 06:24 PM']Agreed. Where you say "a metronome is a much purer form of time", I'd say "it's easy to keep time when you have a 'perfect' drum machine playing a groove for you - harder when it's just a series of unaccented clicks". If you want to improve your time, play with a metronome. If you want to have something to noodle along to without the hassle of a drummer, use a drum machine (or sequence them on a computer - who actually uses a drum machine these days?).[/quote] I agree. When I am doing hard, technical practice, I use a metronome on beats 2 + 4, like a snare drum (Thank you Steve Berry!!!). It tests your timing as does wonders for your internal metronome. Otherwise I use Logic, Ableton or [url="http://www.hobnox.com/audiotool.1046.en.html"]HOBNOX Audiotool[/url]. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 [quote name='simon1964' post='377521' date='Jan 12 2009, 11:49 AM']I tend to agree with this. I think metronomes and drum machines actually perform slightly different roles. A drum machine is great for practising feel, and locking in with a groove (a good real drummer is better mind!). A metronome is great for playing in a disciplined way, and for beginners especially, simply learning to count properly. You don't always learn that with a drum machine, which can sometimes hide some sloppiness (at least in my playing it can!)[/quote] I disagree. A metronome is much better for practising feel and locking in with a groove than any drum machine because it is down to you to bring that groove! It strikes me that too many bassists spend their time playing along with things when they should be focusing on being the source and foundation of the music and to be that you need to be it - make the music on your own and just let the click lay down the 1/4 notes or the backbeat. The benefit of using a drum machine is it can help you start getting to grips with certain feels and groove but at some point you need to take off the virtual stabilisers, strip the backing back to just a click, and bring all the feel and groove yourself. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Metronome. You're not supposed to be focusing [i]on[/i] the beat but what you are playing [i]to[/i] the beat. [url="http://www.metronomeonline.com/"]http://www.metronomeonline.com/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) [quote name='alexclaber' post='378901' date='Jan 13 2009, 12:42 PM']I disagree. A metronome is much better for practising feel and locking in with a groove than any drum machine because it is down to you to bring that groove! It strikes me that too many bassists spend their time playing along with things when they should be focusing on being the source and foundation of the music and to be that you need to be it - make the music on your own and just let the click lay down the 1/4 notes or the backbeat. The benefit of using a drum machine is it can help you start getting to grips with certain feels and groove but at some point you need to take off the virtual stabilisers, strip the backing back to just a click, and bring all the feel and groove yourself. Alex[/quote] Actually, I think we do agree, but my first post isn't very clear! The point I was trying to make was that a drum machine can be used, as you say, as virutal stabilisiers, which hides poor timing. I agree that you should be able to play any line, with a good groove and feel, to a simple quarter beat from a metronome. But there is also a skill to playing with a live drummer, particularly locking into what he (or she) is playing. A drum machine can help with that, but as I said in my post, its no substitute for a live drummer. Edited January 13, 2009 by simon1964 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elros Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 For most applications I really prefer an old-fashioned quartz metronome. The kind with a big dial for setting the tempo. It doesn't even need a time-signature setting. Clicks are the best. Because they don't suggest any feel or style - that's up to me entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) Get a metronome then get a drummer. edit- a real drummer, not a machine. Edited January 13, 2009 by velvetkevorkian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Practicing techniques/feel/time/groove? Get a metronome, start of with 4/4 quarter notes, 8th notes, 16th notes at a sensible bpm (70ish) Just a single note, absolutely on the button. Now alternate staccato, legato through the above. Now reverse so you are going legato, staccato. Try to do this for 1 minute without losing the feel at all. This is unbelievably zen like, you should really concentrate. Now halve the speed of the metronome. Repeat all the exercises exactly as before, except the metronome only clicks on 1 & 3. Now the real deal, repeat as before except the metronome clicks on 2 & 4. Now go back to the beginning and do the same with an arpeggio or chord, try repeating each pitch twice, before changing to the next (dont forget the staccato legatto variations either. About now you (probably a good couple of hours after you started) may want to kill me, but now play a couple of your favourite groove to that click. You are now about a million times more accurate than you were. Now repeat all the above but at different dynamic levels, use crescendos etc etc, explore playing against a rigid time measure such that you provide all the groove and feel. And now we repeat with slapping. Want to make it hard? Slow the metronome down, slower is harder with time keeping. Wnat to write some tracks/noodle about? Start up the drum machine and waste 4 hours playing at programming it, then play 5 notes on your bass having been uninspired by the weakness of the beats you've programmed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 [quote name='jakesbass' post='376655' date='Jan 11 2009, 11:04 AM']It's a central part of my more advanced teaching method, making "fun with metronomes" if you play with a good feel you will make a click sound great.[/quote] That's a bestseller, right there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='380176' date='Jan 14 2009, 12:29 PM']That's a bestseller, right there... [/quote] PMSL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) [quote name='wateroftyne' post='380176' date='Jan 14 2009, 12:29 PM']That's a bestseller, right there... [/quote] I love it, will you be my publisher I reckon we could get into the tens of sales...... got to be 50 quid each in it as long as we dissolve the company quickly enough Edited January 14, 2009 by jakesbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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