Customer Reviews

Korg KDM-2 True Tone Advanced Digital Metronome

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

but it doesn't do much more than the less-expensive Korg MA-30. That said, I like the KDM-2 quite a bit. It's an improvement on the KDM-1 (which I like very much also - it's just a more basic metronome), and similarly designed. The KDM-2 shares these features with the MA-30: tap-in beat; subdivided beats; 12 calibrated tuning notes (you can choose the exact tuning - A=440, 441, etc); mute button. The added KDM-2 features: son clave & rumba beats (3-2, and 2-3); choice of 4 different click sounds; LCD display; LED beat indicator; loud volume (I play trumpet & have no problem hearing the metronome), and tempo selection in standard metronomic increments (60, 63, 66, etc) in addition to +/- 1 beats (60, 61, 62, etc).

You should get the KDM-2 instead of the MA-30 if you need the extra latin beats, the different click sounds (at least one of which should cut through most loud playing, or possibly small ensemble volume) or the LED indicator (the light however doesn't seem as strong as that of the KDM-1). If these extras aren't enough, the MA-30 would be an excellent choice.

I purchased this as a gift for my wife for her piano. As far as we are concerned, this thing is perfect. It's intuitive and easy to use. It's loud. It has more beats than we'll probably ever use, and it has a number of other nice features that make it a perfect metronome for our (her) needs.

The device is also rather small. I pictured it bigger, but was surprised to find that it is tiny and doesn't draw too much attention while sitting on the piano. Among the other metronomes I've looked at, this one is also rather pleasing aesthetically -- though that is hardly a reason to buy.

The main reason to buy this is that it is loud with a nice click sound and it can be used for any instrument, even drums. I balked at the price, but it is a precision device and it shows. We are very pleased.

Actually, a GREAT metronome, except apparently I'm the only one who finds the dial exasperatingly hard to turn. A simple set of up/down buttons would have been much more ergonomic. I solved the design flaw with carpet tape (double-sided duct tape) and the tops of two zip ties. I posted an image under "customer images". Now it works beautifully and is easy as pie to spin to the desired tempo. I rated only one star in an effort to get Korg's attention. Really an excellent product with an annoyingly designed tempo dial.

Like the other lowballer, York, I too found the metronome to be clever, stylish, but with a major flaw. I liked the wheel and large digital display, much easier to jump to different values without those tedious up and down buttons. But the wheel is almost impossible to turn if on a music stand! One has to put down their instrument, use one hand to hold the metronome, and one finger to turn the wheel. Even that is a bit challenging due to the stylish but useless indent on the wheel. Still, I liked the product enough to risk a modification. I driilled a tiny hole in the wheel, and then screwed a 1/4 inch bead on the wheel so I could push the wheel around with one finger(I have the metronome in a frame to hold it tightly to the music stand. Works great though I could have easily ruined the entire product by drilling too far. But one wonders why this couldnt have been done by the designers, who may or may not be musicians who practice using a music stand.

I'm about to start a recording project that will include a lot of vocals, and what I imagined would be great would be a metronome with a flashing light along with the sound, and a headphone jack so that I could listen to the beat, and see it, without it being heard on what I was recording, and here it is!

And, I really like the tap-in-the-beat feature. I can start singing one of my songs, tap along with it, and the metronome sets the beat automatically.

So, I dreamed of the perfect metronome and Korg made it. How cool is that?

Just what I needed - I play fiddle and need something loud enough to cut through.
Just wish the on-off was on top - I tend to forget it's on standby when I stop the sound. - minor quibble though, I'm really very happy with it.

This metronome has all the right features but I have had THREE of them in 6 months. They work fine, then stop, change the batteries then it may or may not work again. I am done returning this model - time to find something reliable.

This is a great product for the price. Certainly worth the extra cash to get the extra goodies that don't come with the cheap metronomes.

Also, this thing is LOUD! Especially helpful if you are playing as a band and have drummer that get a little out of hand.

This metronome is very handy, particularly for afrocuban music where one can take advantage of the son and rumba clave rhythms. I play congas and I love the ease of flipping on a clave rhythm and playing along. I wish there was also a 6/8 clave or bell pattern, but no such luck. As for other features, the sound is decent, the volume is mostly sufficient, although a little more would sometimes be nice. All in all, a great value and I would definitely buy it again. The instructions are horrible, but with enough trial and error I figured it out.

This is the first metronome I have owned. Now I realize I really should have gotten one years ago. I feel like it is already helping me stay on tempo more consistently.
I can't make comparisons with other models but this one seems to be PLENTY LOUD with different choices of the type of click you desire, and with the headphone jack output, you can listen to it through earbuds or feed it into a monitor system in a band setting. Many times our band tends to speed up the tempo, even if only slightly, during a song...this helps you lock in what the tempo should be when you are practicing.

The controls are pretty straight forward and easy to use except for the TEMPO CONTROL WHEEL. Gee, the only reason I can think of for this engineering oversight is that it fits in a box better? It would work ok if the resistance on the wheel was less. But from the box, you pretty much have to use 2 hands to operate it. I modified it the first day I got it by using super glue gel and a small wire nut to make a tiny knob on the wheel. It works smoothly now because this gives you plenty of leverage to crank it with a finger.

The tap function is nice, just tap the beat as you listen to a song and it computes what the tempo is. It also has a light corresponding to the beat, red on the 1 beat, then green 'til you get back to 1.
This unit may not be as portable as some but it will fit in my guitar case pocket. This is not a concern as I just got it to use at home. The unit can also emit reference pitch tones for tuning or ear training.

If it holds up, I will be satisfied now that it has been "customized". As I say, I would rate it higher if not for the control wheel design.