Hi Mart,

If you mean one click for every TWO notes of a roll, then I would say that this is a good place to start until you feel comfortable enough playing with the metronome to try one click for every for notes of a roll. But, if you mean one click for EACH note of a roll, then I would advise against this, for this will teach you to give each note of the roll exactly the same duration instead of allowing you to play your rolls with 'bounce' in a long-short-long-short duration pattern.

Happy Pickin',

Jason

5th string, do you mean syncopation? Accented or stressed notes? Correct me if I am wrong but stressing a note has nothing to do with notes duration. 1/8 note is still 1/8 note even if it is accented.

 |       |       |       |        
|--------------------------------|
|0---0---0---0---0-------0-------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
     ^       ^

I have to agree .Metronomes are difficult to hear and when you are off you may not know if you are in front of or behind the beat .I switched to pawn shop drum machines some time back.Something coming out of a decent sized speaker and defining a complete measure is much better for me.Usually i use a tom to simulate the bass and the snare for the mandolin chop .Maybe throw in ameasure with some conga.It's not something to take to the masses; so learn to stomp your feet in the process.

Ok, I have finally read all this thread; one question, and this may sound stupid, but someone said there are no stupid questions, just people who are too stupid to ask them - maybe nobody said that... anyway the question is: If I set the metronome at 100 and play 2 notes per click, how may bpm am I playing? Thanks.

OldFox

That all depends on the time signature of the piece (4/4, 6/8, etc) and the time value of the note that you're playing (quarter notes, eighth notes, etc).

For example, if you're playing a standard bluegrass 8 note roll (which can be represented as 4/4 time) those are considered to be 8th notes (you're playing 8 of them each measure). If the metronome is set to 100, you're playing 2 notes per click, and you're playing a standard bluegrass roll (8 notes per measure), you're playing 100 beats per minute.

Pick it solid,

Chris

Thanks Chris for the reply. I was thinking about 4/4 which is what most of the tab I have is in. That's the way I figured it, but wasn't sure. I'm just trying to get a handle on how to use the metronome - not easy for me, I know it's just a matter of practice to get it.

I guess i will weigh in again.Certain songs i will set up to 170 or more ,most of the time this is some thing pretty much impossible to play at a blue grass tempo ,but makes up for it with some type of uniquness.These songs i would be doing 2notes to the beat.I have done this on certain ones and then when i got enough bugs ironed out ,i found myself switching over .In standard bluegrass the bass hits once to the lead players 4notes unless he or she is doing a few pick up notes.I find it difficult to blue grass instrumentals slower than 108 or so ,Yes it is good to get a song going 2 beats to a click but it will be easier and more fun when you get some of them at 2/4.You might try hitting square licks and pinches .titm then a thumb note twice as long then play two notes at the same time with your im,these will also be long notes.I would do this and hit diffrent chords.This is more metronome friendly.I used to tape a mike to mine. Tom Elder

I've been playing banjo for almost three years but the new use of the metronome has been a rude awakening. I play in a couple of jam groups now and I originally started with music in a high school band, so I've always considered myself to be very time and beat conscious. The use of the metronome has proven that I don't have a precision crystal clock pulser in my brain. I hope that the metronome will help improve this shortcoming. [Better late than never.....I hope!]

Does anybody know where to find the Part 1 of this? Thank you!

quote:

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Originally posted by Rick Anderson

Does anybody know where to find the Part 1 of this? Thank you!

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Banjophobic, Thanks for posting this thread and all the other lessons you have posted. You have really helped me a lot! It's been raining here all weekend so I've finally had the opportunity to practice with counting and also with using the metronome. I find that forcing myself to count - rather than obsessing on thinking about my next lick - has really improved my playing in just two days. I wish I would have done it earlier because it is pretty hard to break six+ months of bad habits.

I have to say that I hate the electronic metronome because I find the electronic ping-pong noise very distracting. I would like to find a large old-school one with the big swinging pendulum. There is something very graceful about them - like an old clock.

I'll use the electronic metronome for something creative, like annoying my neighbors while I'm away. I'll put it on like 4 beats a minute then throw it their air conditioner ducts!

Rick

Hey, thanks for watching and its always great to hear that the vids are helpful! I have a couple of online metronome sites saved, but my old Whittner wind up is still my favorite. There is something very nostalgic about them.

Mr banjophobic I am yur greatest fan I hAVE COPIED ALL YOUR VRY INFORMATIVE replys and kept them all unti li run out of wall space I perticularly like the one about hearing beeps instead of clicks sometime I hear you give me special instructions in my mind but I really dont think Mr, Geoff Holwald is that bad of a feller i hope you can work out your problems but any way I have tried to play, think, and even look like you but it has been hard for me i am 6foot two 235 pound i wear baggy dungarees pulled up to my chest jest like yiou shaved my head but i really dont have the look yet but I am trying but my biggest problem is i could used to pick fair enough until i started taking your metronome advoic now I sound like Mr. Acker Bilk performing the dueling banjos I think me and you need to talk . me and the boys will be up uour way a bear hunting next week I got some right fair Plott hounds they aint too ill around strangers jest dont act like you skerred or something.looking forward to meeting you your greatest fan tarheel from Elbow, Virginia, and places South

I wish I would have started with a metronome from day one because correcting my bad habits is much harder than learning correctly the first time.

quote:

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Originally posted by tarheel

but I really dont think Mr, Geoff Holwald is that bad of a feller i hope you can work out your problems but any way I have looking forward to meeting you your greatest fan tarheel from Elbow, Virginia, and places South

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Hey just pulling your leg a little about those in depth posting you fellers come up with some times, now that is some complicated theorizing haha, i believe tha timing is everything, almost, the music has got to breathe a little too, you know.

quote:

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Originally posted by tarheel

Hey just pulling your leg a little about those in depth posting you fellers come up with some times, now that is some complicated theorizing haha, i believe tha timing is everything, almost, the music has got to breathe a little too, you know.

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Good post Tom. To reiterate the overall goal of this thread; its to help folks understand how to use the thread to learn about note durations and to check ones overall grasp of playing them, in measures. The other use of the metronome is to help you identify timing glitches in your playing and to establish that your overall sense of timing is solid. You must have a rhythmic 'center' in your brain, before you can learn to syncopate, puch/pull and obtain 'drive'. The goal isnt to play like a machine/metronome' and the only way that could ever happen is if you only play with it, and never play with others or play along with recordings.
I could make a list of famous players who have and do use metronomes. None of them have /mechanical' timing. Using a metronome is just like using tab, a capo or a tuner. They are all tools that you learn how to use properly. But none of them replace your ear.

quote:

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Originally posted by tom elder

I have to agree .Metronomes are difficult to hear and when you are off you may not know if you are in front of or behind the beat .I switched to pawn shop drum machines some time back.Something coming out of a decent sized speaker and defining a complete measure is much better for me.Usually i use a tom to simulate the bass and the snare for the mandolin chop .Maybe throw in ameasure with some conga.It's not something to take to the masses; so learn to stomp your feet in the process.

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I am new to all this, so where do I go to for Part I?

thomas

Great post

quote:

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Originally posted by Ragaisis

That all depends on the time signature of the piece (4/4, 6/8, etc) and the time value of the note that you're playing (quarter notes, eighth notes, etc).

For example, if you're playing a standard bluegrass 8 note roll (which can be represented as 4/4 time) those are considered to be 8th notes (you're playing 8 of them each measure). If the metronome is set to 100, you're playing 2 notes per click, and you're playing a standard bluegrass roll (8 notes per measure), you're playing 100 beats per minute.

Pick it solid,

Chris

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jim T

quote:

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Originally posted by Ragaisis

That all depends on the time signature of the piece (4/4, 6/8, etc) and the time value of the note that you're playing (quarter notes, eighth notes, etc).

For example, if you're playing a standard bluegrass 8 note roll (which can be represented as 4/4 time) those are considered to be 8th notes (you're playing 8 of them each measure). If the metronome is set to 100, you're playing 2 notes per click, and you're playing a standard bluegrass roll (8 notes per measure), you're playing 100 beats per minute.

Pick it solid,

Chris

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I was reading through this thread and saw this old post. I've read it a couple of times now and it seems to me that playing an 8 note roll with 2 notes per click with the metronome set to 100 is actually playing at a true 50 beats per minute. Could someone clarify this?

Thanks, Jim

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It's my understanding that cut time or 2/2 at 100bpm would be 4 times as fast as common time at 50bpm, if you count every metronome click as a beat.

Let's look at 2/2 and 4/4 at the same bpm. There are eight 1/8 notes in a measure of cut time, just like in common time. But a measure of cut time at the same bpm lasts only half as long as a measure of common time. In other words, it's played twice as fast.

-   -   -   -   (metronome clicks)

1___2___3___4___   (beats in common time)
X_x_x_x_X_x_x_x_   (1/8 notes in common time)

1___2___1___2___   (beats in cut time)
XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxx   (1/8 notes in cut time)