THE BEAT BUG!!!
What follows is a copy of the pamphlet that
comes with the BEATBUG . . .
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BEAT BUG TM BB8 (page 1) U.S, patent #5056742
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN AN ANIMAL LIKE THIS!!!
PLEASE~READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY!
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BEAT BUG IS A METRONOME AND A METER MONITOR
(OR DIGITAL 'SPEEDOMETER') THAT PROVIDES AN INSTANTANEOUS
EVALUATION OF EVERY INTERVAL IT HEARS. IT DIVIDES THE
INTERVAL BETWEEN ANY TWO CONSECUTIVE DRUM BEATS INTO A
MINUTE, THEN DISPLAYS BEATS PER MINUTE(bpm). IT IS NOT
AN AVERAGING CIRCUIT.
You are your own boss. What freedom! What flexibility!
What a relief! There's no More panic about being out of sync
with that stupid, annoying click. Just play and it follows you,
letting you know how you're doing every step of the way. The
most obvious use for BEAT BUG is to monitor how fast a drummer
hits the snare drum during the verse of a song. A standard rock 2, 4 'back-beat' in 4/4 time is the perfect application.
But, it can be used in other time signatures just as easily.
It's much easier to use than a regular metronome.
USE:
Let's pretend your snare (bass?) drum is that 'thing'
inside of an imaginary metronome that does the clicking, It then
follows that the faster you hit the snare, or click, the higher
the number must be that this metronome will display or communicate
to the outside world. The slower you click, the lower that number
will be in terms of bpm. You are the clicker inside of your new
BEAT BUG, and making it continually display the same number is the
name of the game,
So, if you play a standard rock song in 4/4 time at a
tempo of 120 bpm, then the 2, 4 'back-beat' will yield a rate
displayed on the BEAT BUG of 60 bpm; since only half of the
quarter-notes are being played at regular intervals. Likewise,
if only the 3 is being played in 3/4 time at a tempo of 120 bpm,
a rate of 40 bpm will be displayed. Irregular patterns can also
be monitored as long as it is a repeating pattern and there is
a rest in the pattern long enough for the display to be read.
It doesn't necessarily matter what that number is. What matters
is that the same(or nearly the same) number keeps coming up.
You'll get accustomed to this as time goes on and you familiarize
yourself with BEAT BUG's amazing flexibility. It's this flexibility
that makes your BEAT 8UG a versatile and valuable tool. Live, studio,
and practice applications are no problem for BEAT BUG. In fact, you
may even prefer BEAT BUG over an ordinary metronome in all situations.
You'll find that it's fun to work with since you won't be bothered
by that inevitable flam you hear by straying from a regular metronome.
You'll begin to look at BEAT BUG as your friend, not as 'the enemy'
like ordinary metronomes,
MOUNTING:
BEAT BUG can be attached anywhere on your kit with the
supplied Velcro strips, or just laid next to you on a table top.
In any case, your BEAT BUG should be within reach so you can make
tempo and sensitivity adjustments. The brass sensor should be
mounted opposite you on your snare drum, well out of the way so
that it doesn't get hit. It should lay flat on the drum head and
be held in place with the supplied retainer clip. You'll need to
remove a tension rod and insert it through the loop in the retainer
so that the retainer reaches over the rim and holds down on the sensor.
Bend the retainer until it presses lightly on the sensor. Not much
pressure is needed so be careful not to bend it too much. Next,
tape the mini-jack to the outside of the rim and connect it to
the BEAT BUG with the supplied patch cord. Plug the power supply
into any 115 volt/AC wall outlet and connect it to the bottom
of your BEAT BUG. The numbers should light. Use surge protection
whenever possible. Now you're ready to play!!
TECHNIQUE :
You should not make any adjustments in your playing
technique. Just play as you normally would and let BEAT BUG
do the work for you. It is sensitive enough to pick up! (hear)
a moderately light tap on the snare drum and can easily hear a
'cross-stick click'. Extra loud full-swing snare hits are no
problem. The decimals will light when a beat is heard, and the
display will update when they extinguish.
FILLS:
As soon as you break meter and play a fill, BEAT BUG
will follow you. Disregard the numbers while playing fills.
Until you return to the 'back-beat', its best to look away while
filling. You'll then need to play two 'back-beats' to re-establish
the interval.
KICK-OFF TEMPOS :
Simply push and release the switch between the two knobs
on top of your BEAT BUG. This engages an internal metronome that
blinks the decimals at the displayed rate. Dial in the song tempo
with the left knob. Faster = CW; Slower = CCW. The metronome will
stay engaged until you hit the drum. Triggering from the drum
automatically disengages the metronome and returns BEAT BUG to the
monitor mode.
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NOTE FROM BILL P . . .
I am totally UNimpressed with the kick-off tempo counter.
It is slow and cumbersome. By the time you get the correct
tempo setting, the crowd will be hurling rotten eggs and
such, haha.
This does NOT distract from the value of the beatbug
though. I find that it is actually easy to get the tempo's
dead-on everytime after only a few days of using the BUG.
You know within the first bar or two if things aren't dead-on
and it is easy to bump the tempo up or down. The tempo kick-off
feature is totally unnecessary and I think this would prove to
be true from everyones perspective. You need to use the thing
a day or two to know what I am trying to say here.
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(page 2)
INVERSIONS:
Any error or deviation from an established
repeating interval will automatically be inverted
in the next interval played. For example: The
established rate being played is 60 bpm. If you're
a little early with a beat and hit a 63, then the
very next display will be 57 even if you hit the
beat 'dead-on'. This glitch will then disappear and,
if you're metering well, will return to 60 on the
second interval after the error. It's just the nature
of the beast and should be considered a little incentive
to avoid making mistakes. It's BEAT BUG's way of saying,
'Well, ya screwed up! Let's get it right guy!'
PERCENT OF ERROR:
This unit listens for a beat 60 times every
second. So, let's say you missed playing a beat 'right on'
in an established interval by 1/60th of a second. If that
interval is a long one, say 2 seconds, then the 1/60th sec.
you missed by is a small part of the total interval. This
is a small percent of error and will be reflected by a one
number change in the read-out. On the other hand, if the
established interval is short, say 1/2 second, then your
percent of error is greater and you'll see a greater change
in the read-out. That's why it mar seem easier to maintain
a slower rate. So don't panic if you see a large fluctuation
at faster tempos. You can be off by 5-10 numbers before it
becomes noticeable to the ear at faster rates.
RANGE:
BEAT BUG has an effective range frcm 14 to 400 bFm.
This range covers 99% of the tempos you'll encounter.
Metronome range: 50 - 200 bpm(approx.)
WARRANTY:
We will repair your BEAT BUG if a factory defect exists
for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase. We are not
responsible for damage caused by abuse or carelessness. Your
BEAT 8UG has limited built-in surge and over-voltage protection.
Therefore, the manufacturer cannot be held responsible for damage
caused by extreme supply voltage transients, We strongly urge the
use of a device designed to prevent damage of this nature.
TIPS:
Don't watch your BEAT BUG too closely----especially
during a live performance. You can pay too much attention
to it and get lost, inhibit your creativity, and. ..look
like a zombie. Glance at it occasionally, especially after a
fill, to make sure you're still on tempo.
*Use of any muffling device will naturally inhibit
skin vibration and reduce sensitivity. If your BEAT BUG
is too sensitive for your style (reading too many ghost notes),
simply reduce sensitivity with the right knob.
Less sensitive = CCW; More sensitive = CW.
- LEDs are very difficult to read in bright light. Try to shade them if bright lights are used. A red stage light gel taped over the display will help greatly.
- Tape the power supply and patch cords to stands and drums so it stays out of the way and you don't trip over it. Leave enough slack so it doesn't unplug if something moves.
- The sensor will break very easily. Be gentle, and remove it after every gig.
SPECIFICATIONS :
Dimensions: 5" X 2.5' X 7/8"
Weight: 4 ounces.
Power supply: 9 vlt @ 300 ma, filtered.
Display: 3 digit, .4' LED's. 1 KHz scan rate.
Range: 14 - 400 bpm. Metronome: 50 - 200 bpm.
Sample rate: 60 Hz.
Accuracy: +/- .1%
CREDIT CARDS NOW ACCEPTED!!
$139.00 (US FUNDS) includes shipping charges.
FAST, DIRECT and SECURE processing!!!
Purchase any of the drum school products NOW and recieve immediate attention by clicking on the credit card icons!!
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HERE! The Beat Bug is $139.00 including shipping.
If you prefer doing business the old fashioned way,
Mail your CHECK or MONEY ORDER for $139.00 in US funds to:
Bill Powelson
107 Douglas Dr.
Holly Hill, Fl (USA)
32117
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107 Douglas Dr.
Holly Hill, Fl (USA)
32117
Email your comments to Bill Powelson drums01@att.netCopyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.