Gear Up: Must-have metronome features

We all know we should be practicing with a metronome - it's a no-brainer. And in today's world, there are more metronome variations available than ever before. Both in hardware form and in apps and software, the ol' timekeeper is pretty easy to get.

But how do you know if you're getting a good one? Here are three essential features to look for when getting a metronome.

1. Single digit tempo adjustment. Beyond the fact that it's just annoying to not be able to get the exact tempo that you need, single digit adjustment allows you to push your tempo thresholds in the smallest possible increment. And that means you can trick your brain into thinking that things are just a little bit easier. 
2. Tap tempo. Personally, I didn't know what I was missing until I got a 'nome with this feature. Now I can't live without it.* The ability to approximate a tempo, or scale the difficulty of the exercise to the situation gets infinitely easier if you can just tap it in and get it done.
3. Audio output jacks. For many reasons, you'll want the option of isolating who can hear the click - for practice sessions, live performance and studio work.

Obviously there are many more things a metronome can do, and you may want those features. (Let us know what features you think are critical in the comments below.) But, for the sake of basic functionality, you're not getting your money's worth without these three features. 

Happy drumming!

For a more detailed review of some specific models, check out this page.

*I'm a complete tempo geek. Using the tap tempo feature, I have catalogued almost every song in my database by its tempo, style, time signature and style. This gives me the ability to play any exercise or excerpt that I'm working on either with the click or with a track. Honestly, would you rather warm up with a robotic beep or the Foo Fighters? I thought so.

Gear Up: Android and iPhone Apps

I have to admit that I was fairly slow to get on the smart phone bandwagon, and even slower to get an iPhone. And even then, I was pretty slow to start downloading apps. It's not that I was super-resistant to forward progress, I just didn't see how they'd make my life - especially my musical life - much better.

But, as they say in the TV ads, life changes fast.

My first revelation happened when somebody (a bass player, no less) gave me a run-down of some apps he uses pretty frequently. I found and downloaded a free metronome and chromatic tuner. Awesome! I could now put the ol' headphones in and practice to the click. I could also get my guitar in tune via the iPhone. Magic!

Check out some cool apps for musicians. 

From then to now I've used a variety of apps, both music-related and not. I've found a handful that are really fun, some that were a complete waste, and a rare few that have become indispensable. I now use my iPhone at every gig, at every rehearsal, and frequently during practice session.

One application that I use most is Frozen Ape's "Tempo." At its core, it's simply a metronome application, but also features a reliable tap function, and programmable set lists. It's huge for a gigging drummer, because I can program in my band's set list (which is usually pretty rigid for entertainment/corporate gigs) and have a tempo in my ears for each tune - basically with one touch.

Now I know that there are some purists out there that shudder at the idea of having a click-track on stage with you during a live performance. Believe me, I've been there. It took a lot of talking from my bandmates and a couple of other drummers, but I was finally convinced to give it a try. And I've got to tell you, it has made certain things a lot easier. I'm still getting used to it, but it's nice to know that you have the tempo dialed in and you aren't going to have rushing and dragging problems.

While there are a million (actually a lot more, I'm sure) apps out there, I recommend that you try to limit what you keep on your phone to those that you'll actually use, and those that will help you achieve your goals.

As with all things, smart phones can distract you and dilute your efforts. Stay focused, and use tools that will help you get the job done efficiently and correctly.

Happy drumming!

Five ways to improve your playing

As musicians - and especially as drummers - we tend to complicate things. We especially overcomplicate things that we oversimplify......wait, what? Allow me to 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up here.


One thing we all want is to consistently improve. Here are five simple (I didn't say easy, okay? Just simple) ways you can quickly improve your playing.

1. Take private lessons from a great teacher.
This one activity will probably have the greatest and longest-lasting impact on your overall music career. That being said, it's an investment of time and money, and won't usually pay immediate results. While you can make an improvement after the first lesson, most of your progress will depend on your dedication to the concepts you are taught and your own practice habits.

But I'm telling you this - don't reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Learn from someone who can show you the high road and steer you away from pitfalls and traps.

While I'm on this subject, I hear some musicians who say they don't want to take lessons or study music because they want to, "be creative," or, "be my own person." They don't want to have any outside influences that might color their own personality or style.

To me, that's the same as a carpenter not wanting any tools because it might make their handiwork look like someone else's. No matter what, you're still you, and no amount of teaching or studying will change who you are as a person unless you choose to change based on new knowledge.

But the more tools you have, the more you'll be able to freely express yourself.

2. Attend great live performances.
No, I'm not talking about your sister's punk band. They may be awesome, but I'm talking about top-level, world-class performers on your instrument or in your genre. There is nothing quite so inspiring or educational as being the in same room with someone who is doing what you want to do, or - even better - opening your mind to new possibilities. You will find yourself using some of their tools, thinking differently and holding yourself to a higher standard.

Another way to think about this is this: we tend to become like those with whom we associate because we begin to emulate their habits and behaviors. As Dave Ramsey says, "You wanna be rich? Do what rich people do. You wanna be skinny? Do what skinny people do."

You wanna be a great musician? Do what great musicians do. And the more you see, hear and associate with them, the more you'll learn what they did and do to become great and stay at the top of their game.

3. Use a metronome.
And not as a drink coaster. One of the hallmarks of a great percussionist/drummer is the ability to keep impeccable time. If you consistently train yourself to play in time, you soon internalize the pulse and everything you play feels great. When everything you play feels great, other people want to play with you and you become known as a good player.

One of the bands I play with has asked me to play with a click track on stage during live shows. At first I was a little hesitant (not insulted, per se, but...), but I've been using it at rehearsals, and it's amazing what it's done for me. I never worry about whether we're too fast or slow, or if the tempo is wavering. I wouldn't do it all the time, but it has allowed me to lock into the tempo and just worry about making music.

As with private lessons, this improvement may take a little time, but if you consistently use a metronome (or "click"), your playing will become more and more solid. You'll develop a good feel for time, and it will be natural to play "in the pocket."

4. Upgrade your gear.
About ten years ago I was playing an old and beat up kit. When an opportunity came up to purchase a new DW rig, I jumped at it. It took almost three years to pay off the drums, hardware and cases, but it was well worth it.

I became a different, better player that day. My mindset was totally different. I no longer thought of myself as an inferior or second-tier player with a cheap set of drums. I had stepped up to a level of instrument quality that was as good as what the pros play. It was as if one of the natural barriers between me and greatness had been removed. Mentally, I was a new man, and I played like it.

Not only that, but my new rig was capable of sounds that I never would have gotten from my old drums. The hardware was in great shape (still is) and the heads were pristine and in tune. I went straight to a recording session that afternoon and did the best playing I had ever done.

In short, I wasn't being held back by my equipment.


Now, you don't have to buy a new kit to have this experience. Sometimes new heads or trying a different set up will have the same effect. Heck, even just taking an afternoon to clean everything up and get the everything in tune and feeling great can give you a major lift.

Bottom line is that you need to be able to depend on each and every piece of your gear to make you sound and feel great when you play.

5. Commit to your goals.
I mean this in the long-term sense as well as in the day to day sense. Set yourself up a plan to achieve your goals. Break it up in terms of what you need to do this month, this week and today. Then commit to what you have to do today, and do it.

Of all the ways to improve, I think this one has the most power. If you have a specific goal for today, and you achieve it, you can answer this one critical question: Am I closer to my goals today than yesterday?


Progress is progress, even if it's just one click up on the metronome.

So, there you have it. Five simple ways to improve your playing. Go and make your dreams into your reality. Your success is up to you.

Happy drumming!

The Weight Room: Advanced Slow-Fast

At a certain point you'll work one of the Slow-Fast exercises up to an obscene speed. What do you do at this point?

It's simple: turn the click down to half of its tempo, and instead of 8ths and 16ths, play 16ths and 32nds.

It looks like this.

Or think of it like cut time. You're still playing slow fast, but the click is now on the half note.

It looks like this.

So now, with the click at a manageable tempo, you can keep working faster and faster. Just remember to keep it under control, relaxed and clean.

Sorry to use the P word, but, uh, happy practicing!

The Weight Room: Your diddles need work, right?

The double stroke, or diddle, is one of the basic strokes you need to master to be able to play most basic rudimental music, and a staple of drum kit technique. You can totally be successful, musical, and groovy without solid diddles, but trust me, you'll have more fun and be more free to express yourself if you can master them.

Here is a simple exercise to get your diddles smooth and even*. In this case we're striving for very open, clear sounding strokes. Each note should sound the same.

Then, switch hands.

When you're feeling pretty comfortable playing this with a click or a track, add in a foot pattern of your choice, and play the exercise over it. Do it a lot. I find that if you can do the exercise comfortably and with no mistakes for 40 seconds or more, you probably are ready to move a little faster.

The next step is to work this thing up to lightning speed, staying relaxed and using good technique. You'll find that there will be a certain tempo plateau that will force you to use a bounce stroke for the second note. Once that stroke feels comfortable, you'll be able to get fast very quickly.

This exercise can also apply to your feet, whether on double kick or using a single kick and hat. A double stroke in your feet is also a fantastic tool to have at your, uh, toe-tips.

Happy drumming!


*One exercise alone will not produce good diddles. Continue to practice exercises to develop your basic stroke with proper technique, and find ways to apply diddles in your playing. If you do it consistently and over time, you'll find diddles popping up in your playing quite naturally. 

The Weight Room: Playing with the click

As a young man I had the opportunity to play percussion (xylo, BD and the like) in an orchestra with a top studio drum set artist in the SLC metro area. He's a guy I've seen on liner notes my whole life, and he's very well known for being the studio drummer you want on your project.

During the course of rehearsals, studio sessions and performances, I asked him if it was hard to always be creative in the studio. I'm paraphrasing, but the answer was something like this, "You don't have to be creative. You have to play with the click, and sound like a drummer."

It seemed like a strange answer. You don't have to be creative? Just play with a click? Obviously there's more to being successful than just keeping good time, but it's an absolutely critical skill - besides, I think he was just being modest.

Seriously, though - nobody cares about your "chops" if you can't play in time. Call it what you will - the pocket, groove, solid - whatever. If you can't do it, you won't find a place as a drummer.

So, how do you start? Let me suggest three steps to get you started.

1. This seems obvious, but get a metronome. A good one. I recommend one with a tap function, and a wide range of tempos (tempi?). A set of isolation headphones is a good idea, too. Then use it enough to get to know what it can and can't do. Read the instruction manual (seriously, do it!).

2. Play very easy stuff while getting used to playing with the click. Start with an exercise that you can play in your sleep without thinking about it - so you can think about playing with the click! Focus on "landing" with the click on each beat and making your subdivisions very even. It shouldn't take long for you to get comfortable and progress to more complex exercises, grooves, etc. But be aware of the click always. Treat it like another musician, and focus on staying together.

3. Test yourself without the click. I have a metronome with a "mute" button. It doesn't stop keeping time, it just stops making noise. Try playing a measure with the click, then one without (Benny Greb has a fantastic example of this on his "Language of Drumming" DVD - check it out!) to make sure you're keeping good time. Another way to do this is to reduce the number of beats you're hearing per measure. For example, if you're playing in 4/4 at 100 beats per minute (BPM), turn the click down to 50, and play the same exercise at the same tempo. Instead of getting all four beats, you'll just get 1 and 3 (or 2 and 4).

Many of my students hate playing with the metronome. But I view it as one of my "real" friends. You know, the kind that can look you in the eye and tell you that you're fat - and you're still friends.

If you learn to be comfortable keeping great time (and feel) along with the metronome, you're well on your way to being a great drummer - one that other musicians will love playing with.

Happy grooving!