Can't afford a metronome? Here is a trick.

[Rick_danger]

Ok, so you know that getting that ultra nice metronome would really help you with your drumming, but alas, you are quite short of the hefty price tag. Or you're just extremely cheap like me. So here is a little trick I found to help you out.

First, find yourself your mp3 player or a blank CD. You're going to need it.

Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ and download Audacity. The program is pretty easy to navigate and figure out, and besides, we're drummers. We can chew gum AND walk at the same time. The program should already be on a new project, so there is no need to start a new one. In the upper menu, go to "Generate." After you find that, scroll down and click on "Click Track..." Pick your chosen BPM, beats per measure, and number of measures. The more measures, the longer the track will be.

After you chose your desired speed, export the file using your desired format. MP3 would be the easiest to deal with. Name your file, making sure you can recognize the speed at which you will be playing. For the title put the BPM, for the Artist put your own name, and for the album put "Metronome."

Repeat this in increments of 5 or 10 from your starting BPM. After you create the desired number of different tracks, save them all in their own special file so you can find them when you need them.

Remember the MP3 player or blank CD? If you're using a blank CD, just burn every track to that CD. The pro of using a CD-R(W) is that you can burn as many tracks as you want, but the cons are that the CD will probably skip when you use it and it will not loop correctly when you put the track on repeat. If you're using an MP3 player, just sync the files to it. You may have to clear some space though.

Well, there is my trick for my own little metronome. Hope it can help you guys out.

- RD

 

[BillRayDrums]

Awesome!! Great idea.

 

[drumsforlife]

good idea thanks

 

[DrumFiend0206]

Oh my god, you are so badass. I was literally just about to go out to GC and pick up a little cheap metronome.

But I usually practice to songs, or at least always have my mp3 player with me.


I love you. :lol:

 

[anojeezick]

Yeah, Audacity kicks ass. Such a good program. I already got a metronome though.

 

[dave lynch]

Funny how many different things are out there...Tho I can't play my drums to some of them, but I luv my washing machine, the blinkers on my car..umm I could go on and on..LOL

 

[GypoDrummer]

Very nice idea, I'm gonna try it out myself...

ohh and "The program is pretty easy to navigate and figure out, and besides, we're drummers. We can chew gum AND walk at the same time." that made me laugh quite a lot.. thanks for making my day a lot more interesting

 

[Jamie]

Funny how many different things are out there...Tho I can't play my drums to some of them, but I luv my washing machine, the blinkers on my car..umm I could go on and on..LOL

hahaha, actually i think its fun to sit at a light with my blinker on and just play something in time with the blinker's temo

 

[Rob Crisp]

Mate, I was going to record the click from my DTXpress and put together a load of tracks purely so i could have them on my iPod.. you're a legend!

 

[dahlgrendrummer]

I've been using this for a while to do clicks and it works great. You can write in tempo changes which is something Tama and Yamaha's rhythm station/watch need to have in them. The only thing I wish it had that my DR-670 I was writing clicks before has, is a tap tempo. I still use my DR-670 for a tap to figure out a good mean tempo for the tune. The other ability I wish it had was the ability to highlight a section and tweak the tempo, it might have this but I haven't figured it out. I run a couple overheads into a small Berhinger mixer I have and run my trigger into it and use it for practice tracks for my guitarists for new stuff. It sounds like ass (I am using the mic input on my laptop as the input source, lol), but it sure beats nothing. And it's FREEEEEE!!!

 

[Guy&i]

ive used that trick for a long time!
but about 6 months ago i just went ahead and bought a metronome.
its a great trick, but if u wanna change the BPM in the middle of the practice u need to make a new track.
besides, a metronome never stops

 

[progressiveman]

Nice trick

 

[crackheadback]

Instead of going through all of that, play along with your favorite recorded song on the radio. Not only to you get work on keeping time with the drums (aka your metronome) but you also get work listening to the other instruments. Most drum parts are recorded to a click track so the time should be perfect. Furthermore, it gives you somthing to play to and time your fills etc... I never found playing to a simple click enjoyable.

 

[Empyrean Drums]

Instead of going through all of that, play along with your favorite recorded song on the radio. Not only to you get work on keeping time with the drums (aka your metronome) but you also get work listening to the other instruments. Most drum parts are recorded to a click track so the time should be perfect. Furthermore, it gives you somthing to play to and time your fills etc... I never found playing to a simple click enjoyable.

I often practice to recorded music, but not exclusively; it's not enough by itself. A metronome is a valuble tool and I use one with a practice pad kit I made to practice sticking and other techniques while relaxing in my room.

 

[Sher Drums]

Thanks! What an awesome program. I've used an expensive metronome and I like this better. You rock

 

[roach4ever]

that is a great tip. just to add onto that - there is a basic metronome available online, so if you have your computer set up near your kit, you can just play with it straight off the net... or audacity has the capability of recording the sound that is playing through your computer... so you can put on this metronome, and then record tracks into audacity that way as well!

<a href="http://www.metronomeonline.com/">http://www.metronomeonline.com/</a>

 

[iatemygoat]

i heard about this somewhere a couple years ago. thanks for bringing it back to my attention!

 

[tchfunkta]

Basic metronomes are like $20. I think it's more than worth it to just buy one (you don't need a $150 one) and not go through the hassle and not have to deal with poorly looping cd players.

 

[TheStentorianMan]

yeah audacity kicks a**. its freeware too. goldwave is also a good too. go check it out.