Fine Metronome

[SrinathK]

Dear rasikas,

Fine Metronome is an extremely versatile software that can accurately render any rhythmic pattern and all Carnatic Talas at any speed, any kalai and nadai (including unexplored nadais beyond sankeernam -- e.g. 11 or 13 counts). I have been using this for a while now and it has done everything that I can ask from it. It has distinct sounds for each beat, subbeat and the samam beat. It is extremely simple to learn and use and even has a beat flasher window that shows the number of what beat you are on so you can't lose track of the tala. Also a metrical pattern can be recorded to WAV/MP3 and used as a soundtrack. The software is commercial (with a 7-day free trial), but it's not costly and it's well worth it and the key can be used on multiple machines.

http://www.finemetronome.com/download.html

For those who might use the software, talas can be rendered by putting in the meter pattern as in this example
1) Adi Talam : 4+2+2 (1 Laghu and 2 Drutams) --> Bell sound on samam, strong accent on the downbeats (X) and weak accents on the others (x)
2) Misra Chapu : 3+2+2 -> Click on "Meter" on the display and disable the accent on the 3rd, 5th and 7th beats (Empty Box)
3) Khanda Dhruva (2 kalai) : 5+2+5+5 -> Click meter and add a sub-beat. The accent on the sub-beat is optional. The tempo will have to be reduced by 50% to maintain the kalam.

[vasanthakokilam]

Wow, I like this metronome. Thanks Srinath.

I like the simple interface and intuitive controls of the program. Even their web site is quite minimal and tasteful.

Too bad they have not ported it to handheld devices.

Srinath, if you do not mind taking the lead, please ask them to refer to this thread and strongly urge them to add carnatic and hindusthani thala presets like the way they have done for Latin and Flamenco. We can advice them on the presets. It should be fairly easy work for them to implement that. We can beta test it for them.

[SrinathK]

When you say presets, do you mean all the standard talas, nadais & 1-kalai, 2-kalai? Not to mention the chapu talas and the bhajan / kirtan rhythms?

[vasanthakokilam]

Srinath: Not necessarily for all thalas but the most commonly used ones. That will be a good addition.