Last Updated on August 13, 2021 by Danny
To help you choose the perfect metronome for you, We have listed the seven best metronomes for drummers.
Metronome devices now come in plenty of different shapes, from the ancient analog and digital ones to smartwatches.
Typically, drummers use metronomes for their live playing and practice sessions to improve their timekeeping.
It is quite important to use a quality metronome as the drummer is the entire band’s timekeeper. Each of them needs guitar, vocal, bass, drum, and metronome to shine.
Best Metronomes for Drummers
- Metronome is LOUD
- Option of TOCK sound and HUMAN VOICE
- A must have for all musicians
- Decent build quality
- Ease of use
- Instantly add or change half beats
- Cool features like memory banks
- Large clear display
- Adjustable click sound and volume
- Dial is hard to move
- Great for on the fly tempo changes or changing the sound in general
- No human voice – which is very important when you practice grouping
- Easy to use. Well placed controls
- You can’t do polyrhythms with this device
- Versatile and easy to use
- No auto power off
- You can uses it as a watch, metronome, tuner, and alarm
- Good for people who has trouble using a sound metronome
- Limited features
- Buttons are very hard to press
- LED is very small
- Produces good tap sounds
1.Dr. Beat — BOSS DB-90 – Best Drum Metronome
The BOSS DB 90 is simply one of the most sophisticated and advanced metronomes for drummers in the market. The range of premium features makes keeping time while practicing and performing with drums quite comfortable and easy.
You get four different click options, including a human voice. While having a human voice might seem bizarre, it is quite pleasant to hear the voice count rather than a click. The DB-90 is also able to play along with drum machine rhythms using the inbuilt PCM system.
For amateurs and beginners, the rhythm coach will be a great way of discovering and solving any rhythmic issues you might have. The DB-90 drum metronome probably has the best coaching feature in all metronomes.
For professional drummers, you will find the features to add your own beats to be quite sweet. You can add up to 50 custom beats. The multiple rhythms feature allows you to different beats to your song, allowing you to play many unconventional genres like middle eastern rhythms.
There are even multiple backbeat drum tracks that help you play different patterns. It also offers great flexibility when it comes to tempo, further sweetening the deal for professionals.
You can learn how to play accented beats, off-beats, and plenty more using the beat control technology feature on Boss DB 90 metronome. It also comes with varied volume options for the device’s beats, thus allowing you to choose a suitable volume level for how loud you are playing. You can also switch your tempos without skipping a beat, thereby enhancing transitions during live performances.
This drum metronome has 50 different memory slots for your presets, ensuring you always have the beats you have handy. You no longer have to delete your old ones whenever you add something new. Boss DB 90 is quite an upgrade compared to the DB-88, which only had eight memory slots.
Finally, the Boss DB 90 is equipped with a standard headphone jack, allowing it to act as an in ear metronome for drummers. So, no matter how loud you drum or how noisy the audience gets, you will always be able to hear the click of your metronome. It even has a light-up feature. These incredible features make this a great metronome that will be an asset for beginners to the most seasoned professional.
A few complaints with the DB-90 are that the batteries are expensive and that the volume is not loud enough to be heard over drums. The cost of the battery is, however, partially offset by how long they last. As for the volume, you can use a headphone or an amplifier to ensure that you can always hear the click.
DB-90 is the most expensive metronome, but it is packed with many premium features and is extremely versatile, making it well worth the investment for anyone who wants a professional metronome that is ideal for every drumming need, from a marching percussion instrument to drum festivals.
2. Boss DB-60 Drum Metronome with flashing light
The DB-60 is the more affordable brother of the DB-90 mentioned above. While the lower cost has meant that it is more basic than the DB-90, the features are still quite impressive.
You will be able to alter output levels and play with their different beat patterns. It has note mixing features that allow you to create your desired rhythms easily and quickly. You will be able to create a wide variety of different patterns using this feature, allowing you to match any genre. You even get a choice between the sixteenth note feel, allowing you to produce completely different dynamics. This is great for advanced drummers as you will mix and generate the notes and beats you want.
The sound of the click is enjoyable; it sounds natural rather than something digital. You will also be to add and remove half and third beats mid-sessions, and you can also assign different volumes to each of them. The DB-60 can also act like a flashing light metronome as it has two lights for indicating the beats.
The DB-60 is also relatively compact and portable, especially when compared to the DB-90. However, the size reduction has led to a few compromises. Instead of the sliders found in DB-90, the DB-60 has buttons to control volume and bar line accents. This limits the flexibility and continence of the metronome. The smaller size also has limited the speaker size; therefore, the metronome doesn’t sound very loud. It eats up a lot of battery, so you can expect to change the batteries quite frequently.
The DB-60 also has a memory function, allowing it to store your various settings. However, it can hold only a maximum of 8 presets. While limited, this allows you as a drummer to have the presets for different songs stored, and you can instantly change from one to the other. It can even tune instruments using its standard pitch function.
Overall, Boss DB-60 is a standard metronome that has a tremendous note-mixing ability. It is a great metronome for practicing with drums; the metronome’s portability would have made it great for gigging drummers, except that the max volume is a little low for live sessions. However, by using the light metronome feature, you can get over this problem.
3. Korg KDM-2 True Tone Advanced Digital Metronome
The KDM-2 is an advanced digital metronome that combines functionality with ease of usage. The large LCD screen and a user-friendly interface allow you to alter settings rapidly and with ease.
There are red and green LED lights that respectively indicate beats and downbeats. The start/stop button on top of the metronome also acts as a visual indicator. The tap tempo range is pretty standard at 30-252 BPM. It comes with 19 different preset beat patterns and three PCM-tones.
The Korg KDM-2 also has an authentic cylindrical resonator, something you will not find in similarly priced metronomes. This allows the device to deliver a clear and robust sound for each click. If you would rather have an in ear metronome, the KDM-2 also has a headphone jack.
The Korg KDM-2 has been updated quite a lot compared to its predecessor. The BPM dial is smarter; it changes bpm by 1 when slowly turned and 4 when turned faster. The time signature is also adjustable, thereby allowing you to play polyrhythms and cross-rhythms with ease. You also get a tapping button, although the button’s position makes it a little uncomfortable to use.
You can alter the beat, the tap tempo, the pitch, and the frequency calibrations quite easily. The best part is that the KDM-2 has a memory backup and can store your settings. Therefore you do not need to calibrate the metronome each time you turn it on. All these features make this an excellent professional metronome.
Korg also has a cheaper alternative for drummers named as Korg MA1BL Visual Beat Counting Metronome
4. Tama RW200 Rhythm Watch
The RW200 rhythm watch is a piece of excellent timekeeping equipment from Tama, the renowned drum manufacturer. The RW200 is suited for all kinds of drummers, and you will find the experience of using it to be quite satisfactory.
While the interface is small, the large font ensures that you always know the tempo you are playing without any squinting. This metronome has a large knob that can be used to make coarse overall tempo adjustments quickly. There are also plenty of smaller knobs that allow you to fine-tune settings like time signatures, accents, and subgroups. There are separate tap tempo buttons too. The buttons and knobs are quite sturdy and will last a long time.
The Tama RW200 gives you an extensive range of tempo options from 30 to 250 BPM. There is even a quick dial option that allows you to set your desired tempo in seconds. It can store up to 30 different tempo presets, which allows you to quickly transition from one song to another without losing a beat. The transition is also seamless, and the tempo doesn’t skip during transitions.
This, along with its small size, portability, and versatility, makes it the best metronome for drummers to perform during a live performance as you will need to change tempos in live settings without delay quickly.
5. Seiko Tuner (SQ200)
Seiko is quite a well-known name in the drummer metronome market. While Seiko Tuner’s name might leave you confused, it is a well-equipped metronome.
The interface on this digital metronome is extremely user friendly. The tap tempo range is merely unbeatable, from a slow 1 BPM to an exciting 300 BPM. The beats can be accented from one to nine too. You also get a monitor-speaker function and a triple-channel setting memory. There is even a pop-up stand that lets you set it on a table without hassle. As this is also a tuner, you will be able to tune your instrument using this correctly.
The Seiko Tuner SQ200 is a good metronome; it will be a perfect instrument that combines timekeeping and tuning for the average user. The only people whom this might not be suitable for are advanced drummers who need to play along with complicated patterns. For other people, this should be more than enough.
6. Soundbrenner Musician’s Metronome Watch
Smartwatches have become very common nowadays, but there are not many metronome watches made for musicians. The Soundbrenner Smartwatch has been specially designed for musicians. It is, in its essence, a vibrating metronome. The watch allows you to feel the beat rather than hear it as a sound.
This smartwatch has multiplayer sync via Bluetooth; allows you to connect five devices simultaneously, making it an excellent metronome for the band, as the whole band will be able to time keep with this one device. Hence you don’t need to spend a lot of money on wireless systems and in-ear monitors.
Click tracks can be damaging to the ear, so using a vibrating metronome ensures that your ears are always protected. The smartwatch also has a built-in decibel meter, letting you know when the concert’s noise levels become too high. You even get a pair of earplugs with the smartwatch.
The display is OLED and is crisp and bright to look at. It has a rugged mineral glass screen that ensures that the watch doesn’t get scratched easily. You will be able to use the watch for 3+ days on a single charge.
The app for this metronome watch is well designed and integrates with the device seamlessly. Besides being a metronome, you can also use it as a basic tuner for your instruments. The watch is also well built, and its strap and finish look classy.
You can fully control the tempo by spinning the wheel on the watch or by double and triple tapping on the screen to adjust. It is quite intuitive, and you can rapidly change the settings. The watch is also being updated quite frequently, so expect many more features as the company provides further updates.
7. Qwik Time QT-3 Metronome
QT-3 is one of the most affordable metronomes. While it does not have many bells and whistles, it does everything a metronome needs to do. It is also relatively easy to use.
The tempo range of the QT-3 is between 40 BPM and 250 BPM. The tempo can be easily adjusted using the up-down buttons on the center of the metronome. The beat patterns can be increased and decreased in 1 bpm increments, allowing you to fine-tune your tempo.
If you are a percussionist, you will find the Italian tempo markings, such as moderato and largo, to help the pieces are not specific. There is no click sound choice, but the single sound that is provided is loud and clear. However, using headphones is recommended for people practicing drums and percussion as the metronome might not be heard when you are playing loud.
A red light on this flashing light metronome blinks along with the click, giving you a visual cue for your beats. You can even turn off the sound and practice with the light alone. The light makes it a perfect drum beat metronome as you will not have to worry about the metronome not being heard over the drums.
This metronome will be perfect for beginners as it has many great features while being extremely affordable. Compared to its competitors, the QT-3 has a more satisfactory tempo adjustment, a light metronome, and a headphone jack.
Do Drummers Use Metronomes Live
Some drummers use metronomes for live performances while few do not. Some use it during the start of a song to get to the right speed and then continue playing without it.
Some drummers do not use it live as they feel that it removes the human factor away from the experiment. Music is a creative and emotive thing, excessively using metronomes can make it robotic. You also risk becoming too dependent on the metronome and never developing your own sense of timing.
However, these said, there are a lot of benefits to using metronomes for live performances.
- It makes sure that you are perfectly in time, which then makes sure that your whole band is perfectly in time. When your entire band is in synchronization, you can be sure that the performance will be amazing.
- While a metronome might remove the human factor from time keeping, it also removes human error from time keeping. A metronome always stays in time and never makes a mistake.
- Using metronomes will also make it easier to transient between two songs with completely different tempos. Your internal clock might take a minute to reset, but the metronome does it instantly.
Using metronomes for live performances is very advantageous, especially when you are just starting out with gigs.
Conclusion
A metronome is a very important tool for a drummer, so it is critical that you have a good metronome to practice and play along with. Hopefully, this list of best metronomes for drummers helped you pick out the perfect one for you.
While this list has many great metronomes, if we had to pick the best we would pick the Dr Beat BOSS DB-90. It is loud, jam packed with sounds and premium features, and has great build quality. From accented beats to multiple backbeat tracks, this does them all. While expensive, it is the best there is.
However, if you are on a budget, the QT-3 would be more suitable for you. While it lacks the premium features of the DB-90, it is compact and has a very simple interface. However, this doesn’t mean it’s a bare bones metronome, it still has useful features like the flashing light metronome. The affordability along with the simple interface makes it a good beginner metronome.