Fiddlehub Store: Metronomes & Tuners

Matrix MR-500 Quartz Metronome

I have this metronome and I like it for several reasons.

I has a nice loud click, so you can hear it above your fiddle.
The dial is easy to read and is always visible, unlike a digital display.
It has an A-440 reference tone, so you can tune your A string to it.
Tempo range is from 40 to 208 BPM (beats per minute).
It is reasonably priced.
It uses a single 9-volt battery.
You can use it with earphones, which mutes the speaker.

BTW, the clicks you hear introducing the various phrase videos here at fiddlehub.com were made with this metronome.

To order yours, click on the image to the right.

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Grizzly H6034 (Digital Metronome/Tuner)

I don't have a digital metronome, but I think I'll get one. I include this model to the right because it is reasonably priced and has the features that most of them have:

It has reference tones for all four fiddle strings: G, D, A and E.
You can speed it up, or slow it down, by a single BMP (beat per minute).

This last point is extremely important for beginner and intermediate fiddlers. One of the best ways to learn a new tune is to set your metronome at a very slow speed where you can execute all the notes, and then move the speed up only one beat per minute over several days until the tune is up to performance speed. The quartz model at the top only has increments of 2 BPM at slower speeds and 8 BPM toward the top of the range.

To order the Grizzly or explore other similar models, click on the image to the right.

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Intelli IMT-301 (Digital Metronome/Tuner)

This is a pricey unit, but I include it here because in addition to its metronome and tuner features (all of which are very slick), it measures ambient temperature and humidity. This can be important if you have a better quality instrument that is sensitive to atmospheric changes. If you have one of these, you want to keep it in your case so it can alert you to the need to keep additional moisture in your case during the heating season.

To learn more or order yours, click on the image to the right.

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Intelli IMT500 Clip-On Tuner

This very handy device works by clipping onto the violin scroll and measuring the instrument's vibrations to determine whether a note is in tune. Very good for tuning in noisy conditions (read bars and jam sessions). It is a tuner only, not a metronome.

I don't have this little beauty, but I'm going to order one just to make sure it lives up to its reputation. Reviews by fiddlers on the internet have been very positive.

To order yours, click on the image to the right.

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Johnson A-440 Tuning Fork

This is what I use to tune my violin, my guitar, and anything else I have that needs tuning. It's no good in a noisy bar, because you can't hear it; but if I'm in a quiet place, it's my preferred method. It only gives me the A, but it makes the whole violin vibrate to the sound, and I find that I can get the pitch of the A string absolutely dead on by listening for the beats of the sound waves to match up. Once I have the A where I want it, I can tune the rest of the intervals the way I want them.

For my video lesson on how to tune the fiddle using a tuning fork, click here.

Click on the image to get your fork.