A metronome is an essential tool for any drummer – beginner or experienced. Every drummer should have one and know how to use it – it’s invaluable to developing your ‘internal clock’ and a great way to track your progress on the instrument.
The amount of times my students say “My metronome isn’t very good” or “I don’t have a metronome” or “I have a metronome but I don’t know how to use it”. BUT they always seem to have access to YouTube – so no more excuses! 🙂 Here’s a simple YouTube metronome with a nice easy-to-read visual count. This metronome is in 4/4 and ranges from 60bpm to 150bpm in 5bpm increments. Each tempo lasts for around 10 minutes:
This is already being used by several drum teachers as a handy teaching aid and if there’s sufficient demand I’ll add some that aren’t in 4/4. Just choose the closest bpm to the speed you want to practice – e.g. if you have a piece you want to practice at 104bpm, the 105bpm should be fine. Obviously if it’s critical that you’re at exactly 104bpm then you should use a regular metronome or a metronome app. But for those who have lost their metronome or it’s been eaten by the dog, no more excuses so get practicing!