Visual Metranome

lwknives

lwknives

Power User
Anybody know of a visual metronome that is big enough for a whole band to see that would either auto sync to the fractals metronome audio output or store its own presets that could be changed by a MIDI Program Change message?
Im trying to figure out a way to keep a whole band in proper timing but not have to use in ears.
 
I saw Pat Metheny a few years back here in Melbourne, pretty sure they had a a big visual metronome on stage hidden behind the foldback wedges. Looked kinda like one of those white globe lamp shades, like this:
Replica%2BOpal%2BSphere%2BGlass%2BOnly.jpg

It flashed red green green green, red green green green etc

So something like what you're after does exist.

At least i think that what was going on, got no other info sorry.

Nice idea though, reckon it wouldn't be that hard to rig up if you have some of those skills
 
There's a thing called a Soundbrenner Pulse. It's not exactly what you're saying but it'll do the same thing. It's a bluetooth wearable metronome that vibrates on the beat and syncs up with other Soundbrenner Pulse units. They're pricey especially if you buy enough for the whole band. But man it's awesome for practicing if you're a numbskull like me. I tend to tune out a metronome beep after a while, but feeling the vibration on every beat really nails it through my thick skull. :)

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-...Lw_wcB&kwid=39474984916x42814104161x151905500
 
There's also a laser metronome, basically a laser pointer that moves from left to right in tempo. That might be easy to follow, because you see where you are in the beat, not just "oh, there was the 1 again, I missed it." Haven't seen one live though.
 
The problem with these is the human brain is able to sync to what it hears A LOT better than to what it sees. This effect is used in gambling machines playing sound slightly asynchronous to what's being displayed to trick the user into pressing buttons at the wrong point in time.
 
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Jeries said:
i've said this before

there's only ONE person in a band that needs a click track or a metronome- not everyone

and if you have a stringed instrument in your hands- you're not the one
Click to expand...
How does that pan out if the drummer doesn't start the song?
 
Drummer counts in... drummer keeps time- maybe quietly on a high hat-

Drummer should always start the song even if he doesn't play

That's his job...

Megadeth for example always does the intro to 'a tout le monde' with the guitar by themselves- it sounds all over the place- and the timing is terrible- even for the great guitarists they've had... it's a mess...

Meanwhile- listen to Metallica play Hero Of The Day- the drums don't come in until much later but it's all together tight- same with Nothing Else Matters

This is especially important if the bands are playing to tracks- the drummer needs to be the brains and the foundation to keep everyone together.

But 4 people watching the same metronome makes them play at 4 different tempos even visually- and in the in ears- you got to compensate- a guitar player playing to a metronome and a keyboard player playing to the same metronome guaranteed will not sound the same or play together- it will be off... keyboard is instant- the signal goes from the keyboard to the PA- with little delay- meanwhile- a guitar, with strings- to an amp through pedals- mic'd up to a PA- there's a delay- so you have to compensate and anticipate - but- them playing to the beat of their own drum (metronome) is just a recipe to sound and play bad and be off---

Bands do a lot of things that they think makes it easier or better- and most times it makes them worse or is something the crowd would never notice.

It's the drummers job to keep the band together- when he's NOT playing he still needs to be keeping time
 
Jeries said:
That's his job...
Click to expand...
i disagree. i play drums and guitar. while it's true that the drummer definitely needs to play in-time, and therefore should be in line with the metronome, every musician on the stage should know where the "actual beat" is, whether it's a metronome or just a shared meter. i don't buy the "oh the guitarists (or whoever) can play around the time, and as long as the drummer is solid it's fine."

sure there's "feel" and that is a separate thing from time. but it's everyone's job to be in line with the main beat. how you "groove" it or "feel" it from there is your call. but the best bands that i've seen had everyone locked in - again not necessarily to an actual click track.

different opinions on this of course. that's mine.
 
I'm not a fan of visual metronomes. If I'm not looking at the crowd, my feet, or the drummer, I'm looking at my hands. I don't need another place to look. :)
 
I play drums and guitar... It's the drummers job to keep time and the rest of the bands job to follow...

If everyone is a beat making authority- then if the drummer messes up- they're standing strong being right- rather than following the drummer... if you follow the drummer you're never wrong... grandstanding guitar players insisting they're in time just makes a band look bad...

Notes don't matter- at all... if you're going to mess up- mess up the note, not the rhythm. Because no one notices most of the time- but- if the band isn't following the drummer- it's a train running off the tracks

The drummer should be following the actual beat/with a click- and the band plays to that-
If there's no drums- he should be hitting a hihat or keeping time in some way-

I'm not saying the guitars can play out of time or whatever- they need to be following the drummer- not following the bands mutual "actual beat" that they define themselves.

I have the WORST rhythm of anyone on earth- but I was in the best 200 person marching band in the country for 3-4 years. And learned A LOT of "band" related stuff that applies-

The worst thing on earth is a Dr Beat (boss metronome) shooting 150 db onto a football field and that's not yours to follow- it's the drum majors to follow- and you follow the drum major. Then mix that with instruments thats timbre is faster/slower and positioned on the field to get it all to come out right to the audience...

Anyway- if a 4 pc or 5pc band shares a visual metronome you're going to get 4 or 5 tempos and interpretations of that time- which will cause disasters- the key is to minimize possible musical disasters.

If the drummer follows the 'nome and the band follows the drummer and is tight- there's no problem

Everyone having a click in their ears is just hurting
 
Im currently playing in a band where every member has a click in there ears and its not at all like we are all playing different tempos. Obviously, being in time with the other musicians is going to take priority over being in time with the metronome.
The point of the visual metronome for me is just to have a general idea of how fast to play not necessarily to make sure the band stays on the one. I tend to rush or drag songs when not using a metronome and I dont want to wear headphones live.
The wearable ones seem like they would be pretty cool but they wouldn't sync to audio or tempo from my Ax8. I set up one preset per song and it would be great to have the metronome change tempo when I move to the next preset.
 
We're trying to play with a click track but to be honest I hate it. I much rather have the drummer steer the band if it was that easy.
 
I couldn't find what I needed, so I built it.

We use 'Ableton' to play stereo backing track clips in one track, a midi track to change scenes, automate expression pedals on two different units, and well as two other stereo audio tracks with the clicks needed for this system. All coming out of an audio interface in my rig. The 4 channels (2 stereo tracks) of clicks go into a box the I made that converts the line level audio clicks into 12-volt DC pulses that drive individual LED lights (see the pic). 4-counts are easy. I had to get a little creative for the other time signatures. But we made it work.
WIN_20171204_12_05_45_Pro.jpg WIN_20171204_12_06_23_Pro.jpg

It's made of the same metal grill material used on many powered speakers. It has six magnets with rubber pads that allows it to be stuck to any wedge that I end up using. There is another box with LED lights that straps to one of the drummer's stands. They use a 5-pin XLR to carry the 4 separate signals to drive each light bank.
WIN_20171204_12_07_49_Pro.jpg

I am the one that selects/launches the tracks. Some tracks run throughout the whole song, some are only for certain sections. The Bass player and front man are oblivious to the whole thing.
 
Moke said:
I couldn't find what I needed, so I built it.

We use 'Ableton' to play stereo backing track clips in one track, a midi track to change scenes, automate expression pedals on two different units, and well as two other stereo audio tracks with the clicks needed for this system. All coming out of an audio interface in my rig. The 4 channels (2 stereo tracks) of clicks go into a box the I made that converts the line level audio clicks into 12-volt DC pulses that drive individual LED lights (see the pic). 4-counts are easy. I had to get a little creative for the other time signatures. But we made it work.
View attachment 43155 View attachment 43156

It's made of the same metal grill material used on many powered speakers. It has six magnets with rubber pads that allows it to be stuck to any wedge that I end up using. There is another box with LED lights that straps to one of the drummer's stands. They use a 5-pin XLR to carry the 4 separate signals to drive each light bank.
View attachment 43157

I am the one that selects/launches the tracks. Some tracks run throughout the whole song, some are only for certain sections. The Bass player and front man are oblivious to the whole thing.
Click to expand...

This is almost exactly what I am wanting! any chance you have a schematic laying around you would be willing to share? I’m still wanting to run just one midi or audio signal into it though.
 
Jeries said:
Drummer counts in... drummer keeps time- maybe quietly on a high hat-

Drummer should always start the song even if he doesn't play

That's his job...

Megadeth for example always does the intro to 'a tout le monde' with the guitar by themselves- it sounds all over the place- and the timing is terrible- even for the great guitarists they've had... it's a mess...

Meanwhile- listen to Metallica play Hero Of The Day- the drums don't come in until much later but it's all together tight- same with Nothing Else Matters

This is especially important if the bands are playing to tracks- the drummer needs to be the brains and the foundation to keep everyone together.

But 4 people watching the same metronome makes them play at 4 different tempos even visually- and in the in ears- you got to compensate- a guitar player playing to a metronome and a keyboard player playing to the same metronome guaranteed will not sound the same or play together- it will be off... keyboard is instant- the signal goes from the keyboard to the PA- with little delay- meanwhile- a guitar, with strings- to an amp through pedals- mic'd up to a PA- there's a delay- so you have to compensate and anticipate - but- them playing to the beat of their own drum (metronome) is just a recipe to sound and play bad and be off---

Bands do a lot of things that they think makes it easier or better- and most times it makes them worse or is something the crowd would never notice.

It's the drummers job to keep the band together- when he's NOT playing he still needs to be keeping time
Click to expand...

When my keyboarder interprets the tempo of the click track in another way than I do, he will also interpret the tempo of the drummer in another way than I do. The tempo is the same thing in both cases. The tempo is the same, the source of the tempo shouldn't matter.
 
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