Metronomes

[Stevie Nature]

I've recently noticed some tempo issues with our band. All their fault, of course, not mine. :rolleyes: Haha. Anyway, I just want to know who out there is using a metronome? What are you experiences? Pros, cons? Are there any you'd recommend? Do you just have your drummer use one and follow him/her? Any advice is much appreciated.

[russhutto]

My brother in law is the drummer for Julian Drive (http://www.myspace.com/juliandrive), he swears by the Yamaha ClickStation (http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID%253D23870%2526CTID%253D217200,00.html).

[milepost13]

We've got a solid, former-pro drummer, and we use a metro or click or loop for just about every song. IMO, tempo issues are one of the easiest to solve, so why not get a metro and get on to the other issues that take more time to deal with. Even the few songs that we don't start out with a click, he usually sets it up anyway so that when he comes in, we're on for the rest of the song.

Nate

[dan_tone]

I was looking at Chris Tomlin's myspace photos and saw this picture (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=94631118&albumID=1470264&imageID=15686252) which show's that his drummer (or someone else) uses a Tama Rhythm Watcher (http://www.tama.com/drums/tama_link.asp?page=http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/world/products/accessories/rw105/index.html). I don't know if they run a click track through everyone's in ears or not.

For what it's worth, I think it's worth trying. We've talked about running a click track through our in ears, but have yet to actually try it yet. You can pick up some pretty inexpensive Boss Metronomes (http://www.rolandus.com/products/productlist.aspx?ParentId=70).

Dan

[Stevie Nature]

How does it play out in your practices and services? Is your drummer the only one that hears the click track or do you have it going through the monitors? I've heard different people do it different ways.

[Kevin E.]

I use a metronome when practicing! It helps alot with a drummer but not sure with any other musician.

[milepost13]

How does it play out in your practices and services? Is your drummer the only one that hears the click track or do you have it going through the monitors? I've heard different people do it different ways.

DON'T let anyone but your drummer/precussion hear the click. Unless they're all serious pros, it will NOT help a keyboard or guitar player in any way. As long as your drummer is on click, everyone else can play with the drummer. If everyone is hearing the click, the moment the drums get off (which will happen all the time), everything goes wrong.

We use it for practice and on Sundays. Songs when there's no drums for a while, our drummer will keep click on the high hat or our percussionist will keep beat with something.

Nate

[Stevie Nature]

Come to find out my drummer has a Yamaha ClickStation. He's bringing it next practice. Sweet.

[maydavidj]

We have tried using the built in click track on our Roland V-drums. The drummer uses the headphone output off the drum module to go into his Shure beltback, and it mixes with the wireless signal. He assigns the click to only go through his pack that way. The problem is that most of the time the piano player (on the other side of the stage) can't stay with the drummer. So, he just has to turn it off and try his best to keep a good tempo without it.

[free_by_grace]

DON'T let anyone but your drummer/precussion hear the click. Unless they're all serious pros, it will NOT help a keyboard or guitar player in any way.

I disagree. It is true that a solid drummer on click makes it easier to be on tempo, but there is still a tendency to play ahead or behind the beat for most anyone on a team, especially vocalists who are even slightly hesitant on entrances.

We started using click about 1 year ago at our church, and I have to say it felt annoying at first, but now I am pretty sold on using click. There is a perceptible difference between a full band on click and just a drummer on click. If you have anybody not using in-ears their tendency to drift from tempo will be more obvious... I've seen it a number of times.

If you haven't used click or metronome before it would be difficult to work with it at first, but give it a few months before deciding you don't like it... you might be surprised.

[Stevie Nature]

We don't have in-ears so if we heard the click then the congregation would hear the click. If you're listening to the drummer I don't see the negative of only having the drummer hear the click track. Won't the people who have a tendency to drag or speed up do so with a click track as well?

[worshiptrench]

We use a musical loop sometimes even a whole sequence. Since it is intended to be in the house we roll it into the band members on aviom/ears and even into our wedges. Sometimes we get really crazy and even double electric parts etc. (ala Muse and others). I like everyone to have the click (unlike Nate) but all our musicians are semi-pro level at a minimum and I could see Nate's case of things getting squirrelly. It works for us.

The songs we use secondary tracks on feel huge!!! me likes.