Metronome

Command Location: Tools Menu / Program Options / Metronome Tab

The Metronome tab allows you to activate/deactivate the Metronome and contains the ‘Rules for Metronome Use’.  The current Metronome settings are displayed on the tab and the ‘Choose Instrument’ button provides a link to the Metronome Instrument dialog.

Note that these metronome rules may be overridden by Practice Session metronome settings, or Recording session metronome options.

Use MIDI Metronome (subject to the rules below) This check box activates/deactivates the MIDI Metronome subject to the rules contained within the ‘Rules for Metronome Use’ section of the tab. (See Rules for Metronome Use below).
Rules for Metronome Use There are two rules associated with the Metronome:
  • Use Metronome throughout playback of score,
  • Metronome Intro Bars

and one associated with the Metronome Light:

  • Flash on beat for: [ ] ms

Use Metronome Throughout Playback of Score

This check box allows you to choose whether or not to have the Metronome ticking at all times during playback.

Flash on beat for: [ ] ms

The Metronome Light (M. Light) flashes in time with each beat of the music to give you a visual representation of the time signature of the piece, and different shades of colour are used to identify the Accented Beat and the Normal Beat.

The ‘flash on beat for’ drop down box allows you to set the length of time in milliseconds (‘ms’) that the colours used in the M. Light are displayed for (or flashed) on each beat of the music. You can choose from as little as 10ms to as much as 500ms.

For more information about the M. Light, see the Metronome Light section of the View Menu.

Metronome Intro Bars

Metronome Intro Bars are metronome beats that play before playback of the piece commences, and are a useful way of familiarising yourself with the rhythm of a passage.

The type of Metronome Intro is selected using two drop down boxes.

The first Metronome Intro Bar drop down box contains the following options:

  • No Intro
  • 1 Bar
  • 2 Bars
  • 3 Bars
  • 4 Bars

.. when starting:

and the second drop down box has the following options:

  • at beginning of piece
  • at beginning of a measure
  • at beginning of a beat
  • anywhere

You may, for example, decide that when you are starting playback from the beginning of the piece, you would like the metronome to start playing one bar before the start of playback. If you wanted the metronome to play throughout the piece, as well as playing an introduction, you would also have to tick the Use Metronome throughout playback of score check box. If this is left unchecked, the metronome will only play the introduction.

Note:  The ‘Use MIDI Metronome’ check box must be checked or the metronome will make no sound, regardless of how you configure the metronome rules.
Choose Instrument Opens the Metronome Instrument dialog.

 

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