Dead On Accurate up to 110 bpm
At first I thought the review with the guy and his ProTools rig was just crazy – how could anyone who has a ProTools rig think that you could ‘sync it up by simply pressing the button at the right time? It’s impossible! (It’s like the guy who thought there was something wrong with the timekeeping of a band he was listening to in the car because the windshield wipers were not exactly synced with the music!)
Also, if it is not loud enough, put headphones on! If that isn’t loud enough, hook it up to an amp! Sheesh!
So, as I do with all my metronomes, I hooked up this metronome to a device dedicated to measuring the distance between pulses (The Groove Guide) and discovered that it was dead-on accurate (NO deviation) with quarter note pulses up to 110 bpm. Eighth note pulses were off by 1 bpm over 4 ticks, and 16th-note pulses were off by 1 bpm over 3 ticks, on average.
On tempi above 110, I increased the tempo in 5 bpm increments and discovered that it was off by 2 ticks consistently at ?-note, 1/8th-note, and 1/16th-note settings.
On one hand, if you can tell the difference, by simply listening, between 310 bpm and 312 bpm, you should work for NASA. On the other hand, how difficult is it to make a metronome which is dead-on over a spread from 10 bpm to 350 bpm? I know of only one other metronome app that is absolutely dead-on over that big a spread, with only a deviation of 1 or 2 ticks at the fast end of tempi. (If you are into metronome apps, you know which one I am talking about)
I have been waiting for someone to make a metronome app with the old DB 33 sounds, and DB 66 sounds. The other extra sounds (Percussions, shaker, etc.) bring a ‘musicality’ to your practicing which is welcomed. Bravo! I give this app 4 stars. I’d give it 5 stars if it were more accurate on the upper tempi. As I said, I know it can be done as witnessed in the other metronome app.
If you are a musician and you are looking for an app that will stand in for your Dr Beat, this is it. I know that accuracy can be addressed in a future update. Well done.
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Dr.Betotte Metronome