Metronome
Metronome Settings
On entry to the module you are presented with the Metronome Settings dialogue where you can define:-
- Beats Per Minute - set
the beats per minute for the metronome in the range 20 to 480 beats per
minute.
- Time Signature - If
`Accent' is Enabled (see below), the metronome player will use the Time
Signature setting to correctly determine and emphasis the first beat of the
bar and any upbeat of off-beats. The user may select from a number of
pre-defined Time Signatures (2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 and 9/8) or define a
custom Time Signature.
- Accent - In conjunction
with the Time Signature, this allows the upbeat or off-beat to be emphasised.
The chart below indicates which beats in the bar are emphasised based on the
Time Signature chosen. For all custom time Signatures only the first beat is
emphasised.
- Metronome Output - use this setting to select either the internal speaker or a connected MIDI device as the sound output. If you select MIDI Output but
you do not have a MIDI device connected then Metronome will automatically revert to speaker mode when you start the Metronome.
| Accented beats when enabled
|
2/2
| First beat only
|
2/4
| First beat only
|
3/4
| First beat only
|
4/4
| First and third beats
|
6/8
| First and fourth beats
|
9/8
| First, fourth and seventh beats
|
Custom
| First beat only
|
The remaining two settings only apply when `MIDI Ouput' is specified for `Metronome Output'
- MIDI DownBeat Instrument
- if the metronome output is via a connected MIDI device, the user can select
the instrument that will be used to play the DownBeat. The choice of
instruments is selected from the General Midi Drum Patch.
- MIDI Beat Instrument - if the metronome output is via a connected MIDI device then the user can also specify the instrument that will be used to play the
upbeat or offbeat notes. Again the instruments are selected from the GM Drum Patch.
Metronome Player
When the Metronome has started you are presented with the following screen:-
This screen shows you the currently set Time Signature and Beats Per Minute in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. In the centre of the screen is the visual
beat indicator and in the lower half of the screen are the three control buttons.
The STOP button (<SPACEBAR> key) is used to stop the metronome immediately. When connected to a MIDI device pressing this button will force the
program to send a `Panic Mode' message which ensures that all sounds from the MIDI device are terminated immediately.
The other two buttons provide a means of synchronising the Metronome to a current session. The DELAY button (<D> key) provides a nominal delay of around
32 mS whilst the SYNCH button (<S> key) forces the next beat of the Metronome to be the first beat of the bar.