Feature-laden "metronomes" may be fun, but if someone is very serious about their musicality, I recommend that they find the simplest "clicker" that they can, one that does not accent beat one or anything of that ilk, just the same sound each hit.

And then, practice putting the beat on 2, then 3, then 4, then 2 and 4, etc. while playing your drills, no matter the rhythm or genre. Once you can do that with impunity, then start making the metronome click to be the ANDS of each beat. This is your perception of where the downbeat lies and you don't have control over that perception unless you work these drills out like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFikXk2pW8

Because playing is not about following a drummer, it is about counting for yourself and everybody counting when playing ensemble.

Victor Wooten can show you how to practice with the metronome at a very high level of skill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR9to6lbqTY

He's using a Korg TM-40, but note that he has it set to the plain click for drills like this.

This kind of practice with the metronome will point out where you may be slightly slowing down to perfom something mechanical, in which case you should set the metronome to a slightly slower pace until you concquer that, or in the opposite, it can reveal those areas that you find so easy to execute that you will rush the beat.

The only thing that the metronome is for is to keep you counting evenly. Don't ever let the metronome count FOR you, count along with it at all times. The goal is to develop your internal clock to be able to run right alongside the mechanical or electrical clock. And that's swingin' HARD.


--Mac

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