backing chords

Mypipes · Post by **Mypipes** » Sat Apr 05, 2003 8:44 am

I am one who loves to have guitar backing when playing Pipes/whistle...is there a website/ CD out there that has just chords playing or that can be paired out for playing along with?? To me this would be a good thing for all trad melody players to have.....like a happy metronome unlike the evil metronomes we know so well....

.while I am on the subject ..what if any metronomes do others use or recommend?? other than the basic ones?

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Sat Apr 05, 2003 10:17 am

You might try Band-in-a-Box from PG Music...

http://www.pgmusic.com

elbogo · Post by **elbogo** » Sat Apr 05, 2003 1:33 pm

Yes, speaking of metronomes: would anyone recommend using one for beginners who have embarked on learning to read music? My teacher hasn't mentioned using one (and I just thought of it myself), but he suggests I learn to read sheet music.

So, would a metronome help me, and what is a good model to get?

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Sat Apr 05, 2003 3:10 pm

There's a nice, tiny plastic & metal model made by a swiss/german company. It's compact, comes in multiple colors if you care about that and is traditional as opposed to electronic. Just go to a music store and try out the different models. Some people enjoy electronic ones because they can have a different tone/pitch for the different stresses in your beat.

Dionys

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Sun Apr 06, 2003 1:50 am

Elbogo..Wittner Digital Metronome MT40 xcellent value fits in shirt pocket takes earphone has visual LCD and has variable audible beat for use when not using earphones.They also are the maestro makers of the conventional Pyramid type.
Slan go foill
liam

bagpipeworks · Post by **bagpipeworks** » Sun Apr 06, 2003 3:05 am

Hi

There is a whole selection of tuning and possible backing properties in software called Finale and Steinberg suite, which includes Q basis, these are used by top recording studio's and amatures alike.

Davy.

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Sun Apr 06, 2003 10:25 am

Regarding Davy's point about Steinberg/Finale, they are edited so as to remove the really useful applications of the full versions, but a good one for the PC is "Pro Tools", and is free from www.digidesign.com though it is still is a heavily edited version of the full programme (which is one helluva recording application!!). But, dare I mention it, cracks of full programmes like Cubase are fully available.

Get your next door neighbour to learn bouzouki!!!

Alan

elbogo · Post by **elbogo** » Sun Apr 06, 2003 10:05 pm

Thanks, Uilliam, for the tip! Just ordered Wittner's all wood "maestro" classic pyramid metronome, in ebony! This company Wittner is about 6 hours from where I live! Very nice people to do business with as well.

ston · Post by **ston** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 2:54 am

If you're near your computer when you play, another option is a metronome program. I wrote a program which, in my experience, is the best free metronome program available for Windows computers. It's available here. It's highly customizable, with significantly more features than even the most expensive portable digital metronomes, yet it's still just a tiny little download of a few seconds.

(Sorry about the blatant plug, but it really is a useful program -- I use it every time I practice my Bulgarian bagpipe, and I'm sure I'll use it when I get my starter set and start learning UP)

-David
(anxiously awaiting the completion of my Patrick Murray starter set)

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:08 pm

I use a Seiko DM-20.

It is very easy to use, has all the functions one could want (including an A-440 tone for tuning) and tempo adjustments from 30 up to 250 in single steps.

It's inexpensive, too - I think I paid around $25 for it, if memory serves me correctly.

Stay tuned,
Brian

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:12 pm

Another nice feature of the DM-20 is that it's about the size of a credit card, and maybe 1/2" thick - truly a "pocket size" device. It even comes with an earphone jack (earphone not included) so you don't bug others with the beep-beep-beep sounds - AND it has a silent feature, where you simply watch the LEDs bounce back and forth.

Here is a site with the specs:

http://www.bandinstrumentservice.com/Ac ... 0DM-20.htm

Price listed here is 32 US$.

Stay tuned,
Brian

Cristóir · Post by **Cristóir** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 12:40 pm

elbogo wrote:So, would a metronome help me, and what is a good model to get?

Several makes of metronome have already been mentioned so I'll comment on the usefulness of them. I personally would swear by my metronome if I wasn't already too busy swearing at it (or at myself, really). They are an indispensible tool for improving control and timing (not rhythm, really). Whenever I approach a difficult piece I start out at the slowest speed wherein I can actually play the music, then bump it up a couple bpm and play it there until perfect, then bump it up again, ad nauseum. Also, this is how I approach scales and patterns. What the metronome CANNOT do is teach you RHYTHMIC FEELING, not of ANY musical genre. But coming from "legit" training and trying to work toward jazz and now ITM I still feel like I've got to get a solid rhythm (with the help of a metronome) before I can start playing around with the rhythm.

The tendency for most new musicians is to play low notes or soft notes slowly and high or loud notes quickly, also to play easy stuff quickly and hard stuff slowly, etc.—this is where the metronome helps. It's a training discipline, but not an interprative tool.

Perhaps this approach might not be best for ITM? I know it's a bit controversial.

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 1:34 pm

ston wrote: I wrote a program which, in my experience, is the best free metronome program available for Windows computers. It's available here. It's highly customizable, with significantly more features than even the most expensive portable digital metronomes, yet it's still just a tiny little download of a few seconds.

Ston,

This link doesn't seem to be working. Has anyone else gotten this open?

TW

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 1:34 pm

ston wrote: I wrote a program which, in my experience, is the best free metronome program available for Windows computers. It's available here. It's highly customizable, with significantly more features than even the most expensive portable digital metronomes, yet it's still just a tiny little download of a few seconds.

Ston,

This link doesn't seem to be working. Has anyone else gotten this open?

TW

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 2:06 pm

Try this one on for size Tumbleweed... it turned out to be an "shtml" page rather than an "html" page...

http://www.pinkandaint.com/weirdmet.shtml

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