Metronome volume and practicing

[Miskatonic]

Does anyone use a metronome that actually gets loud enough to hear over the guitar when playing? Or does everyone practice on the clean channel with low volume? I seem to have the same problem practicing rudiments on the practice pad. When I'm in step with the metronome the noise of the pad basically drowns it out so it kind of messes with my head since I'm trying to pay attention to the metronome click. I found one online that got pretty loud with headphones but then it started to drown out what I was doing. Gets worse with the guitar.  :dontknow:

 

[swarfrat]

Nobody wants to listen to scales and arpegios for half an hour or more. I'm trying to get in the habit of methodical practice, but when I do much of the time I don't even plug in. I'm sure aspiring brass players envy us.

 

[mayfly]

I get the metronome on the guitar strap.  Then you can hear it.

I also don't run very loud mind you...

 

[elfro89]

That's a good question, can't say I've ever noticed anything like it before but I can definitely relate. I Personally hate the sound of a click track. Would much rather have a drum loop or kick drum or some other form audio time keeping. Usually I play along with a drum loop, I could never practice as long as I do on scales and technique if all I hear is that shitty synthetic "CLICK Click Click Click, CLICK Click Click Click" none of that tamness like. 

 

[Steve_Karl]

No amp. Unplugged ... and scales and improv. every day.
I used to use a metronome for the middle 20 yrs. or so. I spend enough time now recording to click tracks that I don't need the metronome practice anymore.
I actually never began needing it until I started to play with slightly warped drummers and now that I've given that up, along with other mind altering pastimes,
my internal clock is back to where it was when I was playing big band and combo trumpet (1957 to 1969) ... sharp as the edge of a thin razor blade ... yet just as flexible.

I used to use a towel and put it a bit of it over the metronome, turn it this way and that, to get the balance right.
I've gotta be able to balance dynamically with the click ... i.e. be able to get louder than the click just by picking harder ... but also be able to get softer than the click by lightening up.
If I can't get than dynamic balance, then the practice is somewhat useless.

Time is relative to distance and volume, and is subjective, in the sense that it is our *perception* of time, that is needed to interact with the time source, or other players.
I need to balance (my volume ... my perception of the relationship) with the click, or with any time source, or other player, in order to find the pivotal point ( within self ) that is the organic internal clock. The other players need to hear me as well but I need to balance for my self, first, or I'll be useless to the others.
Of course the perception of balance is subjective also.

If you work with it long enough I think most everyone will see that playing accurately with an absolute time source is impossible.
That is where the flexibility and dynamics come into play. "Playing around the beat" is the ol cliche'.
How closely one can dance to the absolute click is an interesting thing to toy with.

The feeling is in the space between me and the absolute source, or when playing with real players, between my time and their time.
In the gap ... in the space ... how we push and pull ... there is the energy.

Release times ( how long is the note and how the curve of release times can change during a phrase ) are also very facinating to me.
What happens in the silence between notes is just as important as the notes.

 

[Jusatele]

scale practice with no amp, everyday for warmup. about 20 minutes, weather scales or patterns, fretboard arobics is a great book for patterns and arpeggios

 

[hannaugh]

I do a lot of practicing in front of my computer, so I just use an online metronome.  You can just adjust your computer volume if you do it that way.  If I'm not in front of a computer, I use the metronome in my tuner, which has an output jack, so you could run it through a small practice amp or speaker and adjust the volume from there. 

 

[swarfrat]

slightly warped drummers

Aren't they all? Oh timing, nevermind.

 

[Jusatele]

slightly warped drummers

Aren't they all? Oh timing, nevermind.

You know, they guy who should have the best sense of beat in the band and normally gets lost the most

 

[TBurst Std]

Does anyone use a metronome that actually gets loud enough to hear over the guitar when playing?

Sure, its called a click track.
When at volume, it is mixed in. I do try to use some decent drum tracks rather than clicks.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I loved it when my drummer said, "I think that metronome is off." 

 

[swarfrat]

I heard Fatburger play when I was in college. I swear when you heard their bass player, you'd think if you heard him practice you might be able to detect metronome slop. He was that tight.

 

[Disco Scottie]

I always play unplugged at home, and I use an online metronome since I'm usually in front of the computer while playing. I do it on both guitar and bass. The key is to play like you would if you were hearing it through your amp. It's easy to starting playing harder so you get more volume. I just play like always, and I've been onstage plenty of times where I couldn't hear me at all. So I committed to being able to play with good technique no matter what.