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What's your favorite metronome to practice with? The Dr. Beat DB90 is nice, but only has 3+2 and 2+3 son clave (no rumba clave). In Tomas Cruz' instructional videos, he has a nice metronome (or perhaps a drum machine?) that does rumba clave, as well.

If you have favorites, post them here.

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leedy2 wrote:

vxla wrote:What's your favorite metronome to practice with? The Dr. Beat DB90 is nice, but only has 3+2 and 2+3 son clave (no rumba clave). In Tomas Cruz' instructional videos, he has a nice metronome (or perhaps a drum machine?) that does rumba clave, as well.

If you have favorites, post them here.

Any metronome is good as long as it keep time wine up or electronic .The rumba clave is a 3/2 clave were ever you put it .

http://youtu.be/Rv_YK6T2B-g

Thanks, but that wasn't what I was asking for.

Are you saying that a rumba clave cannot be 2+3?

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Right, okay.

I was going to maybe get a drum machine but they're distracting and I'd rather put my energy toward playing instruments rather than programming beat patterns. Oh, how I wish I could have son and rumba clave, both, in a metronome!

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I have a DB-30 for basic metronome or son clave needs. It's very portable but not very loud. I need ear buds in to hear it over playing.

However, I've just started to use Percussion Studio in order to work out parts I've recorded in the Cuba in Chicago lessons, in order to notate them. The free demo version allows full functionality without the ability to save, but you can quickly throw up a clave or bell pattern to play along with. I spent the $29 for the registration, so I can save multi-part patterns for future use.

Check it out here.... http://www.moosware.net/PercussionStudio/

I use an Alesis SR-16 drum machine. It is far from distracting, it is very simple to program, takes 2 minutes or less for to program clave. I program clave 3/2 and 2/3, rumba clave, 6/8 bell, jazz cymbal rides, of course basic 4/4, and 3/4 pulses with accents on the one or without and with different tones, cata/guagua patterns. I also program it to play 8 measure sequences and 4 measure sequences, etc. It is a great practice aid.

Percussion Studio. Downbeats, Upbeats or any Clave at any speed.

Unfortunately the only application I know of that is for PC only. I use 'Crossover for Mac' to use it on my Mac with no issues at all

I use a KORG KDM-2. [son, rhumba and lots of other stuff]

not very loud, but like some others I use headphones or plug it into a stereo.

Darrell

Derbeno wrote:Percussion Studio. Downbeats, Upbeats or any Clave at any speed.

Unfortunately the only application I know of that is for PC only. I use 'Crossover for Mac' to use it on my Mac with no issues at all

Derbeno,what is "Crossover for Mac"?
(BTW I heard Sandy isn't running his Sat. class now - so I guess I won't see you there!)

thanks,
Dave

I really like Percussion Studio also.
As stated, it is a PC based program.

I have the registered version, which allows you to save your work.
You can use it as a simple metronome, or play actual rhythms.

I have used it to transcribe and save Gary Greenberg's "Conga Drumming: Afro Cuban Folkloric Ensemble Rhythms".
It's a great way to practice playing a part within ensemble and to learn all the ensemble parts within the context of the rhythm.
Isolate individual parts, and play along. Easily switch between parts. Easy to speed up, slow down.

Granted, it's not like playing with live partners, but for practice, it's like having an ensemble of practice partners who never get tired, miss a beat, or lose timing.

I have also made an assortment of looping tracks (clave beats and actual compositions) and used Percussion Studio to convert to .wav files, which makes them portable to other devices.
I find .wav files rather large so I then convert to .mp3. I then put the files on my iPod, which makes them very portable.

Hmmmm... that Percussion Studio sounds pretty interesting is this it?

http://download.cnet.com/Percussion-Stu ... 32287.html

SpEd's link is the actual website for the program.

SpEd wrote:Check it out here.... http://www.moosware.net/PercussionStudio/

From the website there is entire library of rhythms (and instruments) which are free and downloadable.

The only difference between registered version and free version, is that with registered version you can save your work (or alter /customize existing rhythms from library) , so if you are interested in composing or transcribing for your own use, it is well worth it to pay the reasonable registration fee.

Thanks Joseph.