Chiff and Fipple Forums

Has anyone ever tried this yolk: http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=132
or anything like it?

It is a pulsing metronome. I find the usual sort ineffective with uilleann pipes.

I'm a great fan of all most things made by Peterson, but not so much their vibrating sextoy metronome.

I had the opportunity to borrow one of these for a week from a friend who tried to use it for keeping the beat for accordion playing during feis competitions, but didn't like it.

Essentially, its a Doc Johnson style vibrator egg connected to a metronome box. You tuck the egg wherever it might get your attention and then, the theory is, you'll feel the beat more than hear it.

Problem is the whole "Doc Johnson style vibrator egg" problem. It doesn't feel like "tick tick tick". Instead it feels like "BZZT BZZT BZZT" and to me felt vague and distracting rather than useful. I really wanted to like it, but just couldn't.

Perhaps there might be some non-music related rhythm issues it could be "useful" for...

Seems like an easy iPhone or Android app.
Just use the vibrator rather than the speaker.

Is anyone aware of such an app for iPhone?

I'd like to see an app for iPhone and iPod, but I do think that eskin's complaint is an accurate one. Beats are instants in time and vibration is always of some duration which can indeed blur the instant of the beat. You can probably get used to that, but it certainly is not intuitive. We need a little hammer that "pounds" whatever it is next to I doubt that will show up in an app...

cboody wrote:I'd like to see an app for iPhone and iPod, but I do think that eskin's complaint is an accurate one. Beats are instants in time and vibration is always of some duration which can indeed blur the instant of the beat. You can probably get used to that, but it certainly is not intuitive. We need a little hammer that "pounds" whatever it is next to I doubt that will show up in an app...

Just you wait until they release the fifth generation iPhones. Combined with a swiss army knife.

And an entire fold up mess kit made of titanium.

cboody wrote:I'd like to see an app for iPhone and iPod, but I do think that eskin's complaint is an accurate one. Beats are instants in time and vibration is always of some duration which can indeed blur the instant of the beat. You can probably get used to that, but it certainly is not intuitive. We need a little hammer that "pounds" whatever it is next to I doubt that will show up in an app...

The beat is the leading edge of the pulse. It doesn't matter what kind of metronome you use, the sound is of some finite duration. I play in a pipe band, and we have a bass drum to keep the beat. A bass drum has a lot of sustain -- maybe even a couple seconds. You aim for the leading edge. In reality, if you wait until you hear it (or feel it), then you're late.

I'll take a click over a bzzzt...

highland-piper wrote:The beat is the leading edge of the pulse. It doesn't matter what kind of metronome you use, the sound is of some finite duration. I play in a pipe band, and we have a bass drum to keep the beat. A bass drum has a lot of sustain -- maybe even a couple seconds. You aim for the leading edge. In reality, if you wait until you hear it (or feel it), then you're late.

Yes, but that's the problem. A percussive pulse or click has a volume envelope with a large spike or peak at the leading edge, regardless of sustain. Without that peak the ear/brain can't find the onset.

Personally, I'm waiting for the Tase-O-Matic metronome. The 300kV pulse makes it easy to find the beat. Turn it up high enough, and your blood-curdling rhythmic screams provide a convenient "audio mode" for the rest of your group. Or hook it up to your calf muscles for perfect automatic foot-tapping. And if the tempo is wrong, it gives a whole new meaning to "Don't tase me, bro!"

highland-piper wrote:
The beat is the leading edge of the pulse. It doesn't matter what kind of metronome you use, the sound is of some finite duration. I play in a pipe band, and we have a bass drum to keep the beat. A bass drum has a lot of sustain -- maybe even a couple seconds. You aim for the leading edge. In reality, if you wait until you hear it (or feel it), then you're late.

Well sure, but a bass drum or a metronome has a defined attack envelope whereas a buzz does not. This makes the leading edge much harder to ascertain. BTW I was a bass drummer with a pipe band for some years and know what you mean. But still, as eskin says I'll take a click rather than a buzz.

MTGuru wrote:

highland-piper wrote:The beat is the leading edge of the pulse. It doesn't matter what kind of metronome you use, the sound is of some finite duration.

Yes, but that's the problem. A percussive pulse or click has a volume envelope with a large spike or peak at the leading edge, regardless of sustain. Without that peak the ear/brain can't find the onset.

Why is that the problem? Couldn't a vibration's
amplitude have a similar envelope?

This guy uses a cell phone vibrator to make his
LED pocketwatch tick like a real watch. Seems
like it would feel the same as it sounds: like a
discreet percussive tick, with all the power in
the leading edge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZ2Zz_CFaw

fearfaoin wrote:Couldn't a vibration's amplitude have a similar envelope?

Yes, I suppose it could. But apparently the Peterson buzz doesn't.

MTGuru wrote:

fearfaoin wrote:Couldn't a vibration's amplitude have a similar envelope?

Yes, I suppose it could. But apparently the Peterson buzz doesn't.

Oh, i see. I was just wondering if
I should give up before I started.
May be some hope yet.

How about a Yamaha QT1 Quartz Metronome? You can turn off the sound and just watch the flashing light.