* IMPORTANT NOTICE *

Azi's Metronome 2 (MIDI Edition) - a much more reliable Metronome is now available!

Azi's Metronome 1 (this sad thing) will NOT be updated ever again.

Get going to the Sequel page already! Shoo!

Change history

2008/feb/12: 0.8.00:
- Added Midi sound support (*)
- Tap Tempo implemented
- General optimization and many small improvements
2008/feb/03: 0.1.05:
- Added Bell and Click sound samples
- Properly detects supported media and disables unplayable sounds
- Cannot start playback with unsupported sounds
- Error details scroll quicker (on cheap slow phones)
2007/dec/30: 0.1.02: Posted the buggy 1/19th finished version just for kicks.

Stop wasting my time, take me straight to downloads!

Disclaimer
This is an application in development and is not The Best Metronome That Ever Was. The actual performance depends on your cellphone; the tests so far have shown that fancier and more expensive models work better (did I just hear your jaw hang in surprise?). It *might* be improved in the future, depending on my already sparse free time that is usually put to composing use instead. In theory it should work with perfect timing, but obviously Mobile Java was not created as a means to replace atomic clocks, so ... give it a shot, and if it displeases you, buy an electronic ticker for a hundred bucks :)

And please do not bitch about the UI; it's a ticker, not a PhD project in visual communications

Current shortcomings
The Midi sound support was added for MIDP 2 build; it might not work correctly or even cause errors. There are plans to improve it. Suggest you use a single MIDI sound or stick to WAV's, if your phaser supports them. Beam me down to troubleshooting section.

Error Details and Unsupported Media
If something goes wrong when running the app, error details will be scrolled at the bottom in red font. Bug reports much appreciated; the message and the type of sounds you were running.

If you see a sound name written in grey, it means your cheap toy does not support this media type! (see screenshot).

What is it all about
This is a metronome, a wonderful machine that goes CLICK residing in your cellphone, helps you improve your rhythm and is universally hated by all lackluster music pupils. No more, no less. When it is finished, the user interface will be just as lame as the one you see on the screenshot. No bloody revolving 3d raytraced metronomes will ever dance around the screen, I swear it. But hopefully it will do its job of going CLICK properly, just as good or even better than some of the J2ME metronomes out there that I've tested and they all sucked, which inspired me to start writing my own.

The Menu

Start / Stop: Run or freeze the ticker.
Exit: Quit the app. Your settings will be saved.
BPM: Set current BPM. Pressing 5 or Fire button on this field opens a small dialog box to enter the BPM directly using your numeric keypad; left/right will change it by tiny bits. Range: 30 all the way to 299 (but things get fishy at such speeds)
Tap Tempo: Repeatedly push any button but up/down with a rock-steady beat, man, and you got yourself the desired BPM
Beat: Set number of beats: e.g. 4 will set a 4-beat rhythm with one downbeat and three upbeats. And so on. Setting it to 1 will play only the downbeat sound.
DB Sound: Set the downbeat sound. See below.
UB Sound: Set the upbeat sound.
Sleepmode: Experimental option. Never mind the gory details .. If the timing is off, change it and see if it gets better...
Force sound reset Experimental command. Resets all sound players. Use it if the app stops playing or keeps showing errors, it might help.

The Sounds

WAV: Bell A triangle sample WAV at 8khz.
WAV: Click A sidestick sample WAV at 8khz.
WAV: Hi Conga A high conga sample WAV at 8khz.
WAV: Lo Conga A low conga sample WAV at 8khz.
MIDI: Bell A MIDI triangle note.
MIDI: Click A MIDI sidestick note.
TONE: High: A high tone played using the tone generator.
TONE: Low: A low tone played using the tone generator.
SYS: Info, Error... : The phone's system event tones.

Troubleshooting

Always keep in mind that MIDI support is still in its diapers, so if you have the option, stick to WAV samples. If you use MIDI, it's highly recommended you set:

DB sound: MIDI Click
Beat = 1

Q. I messed around with MIDI sounds, now no sounds play at all, I keep getting error messages.
A. Use the »force sound reset« command, set the Downbeat sound to MIDI: Click and Beat to 1 (or even better, use WAV samples instead) and try again. If that fails, close the app and try again. If even that fails, let me know.

Q. I have set the sounds to MIDI Bell and MIDI Click, but only one sound plays.
A. Use a single MIDI sound for now. Hopefully we'll fix this in the future.

Q. Every fourth (or so) sound gets dropped out
A. Er, umm ... halve the tempo for now. Hopefully we'll fix this in the future.

Azi's Metronome is Album-Ware.

You can use it for all eternity free of charge, no nag screens, no time limits, no nothing. HOWEVER! If you find your life significantly enriched by Azi's Metronome, consider surfing over to cdbaby.com/cd/Aziraphal and ordering the author's CD. You'll not only own one of the best indie electronic/classical music CD's out there, you'll make the author very happy and eternally grateful.

What to download? I'm confused!!1

MIDP2.0 works on most present-day models; see the specs of your gadget (no, I can't be bothered to list the current MIDP2 models here, not even Nokia's; JFGI). Recommended.
Nokia works on, well, Nokia phones! Does not support MIDI.
MIDP1.0 will work on all phones that support Java; Get this if you only have a cheap non-Nokia toy. If you really must. You'll be stuck with system sounds and no full-screen.
The java (.jar) file is the package with everything you need to rock 'n roll. Most decent phones can load .jar files when you specify direct link. You can also download the .jar file and transfer it to your phone if you have the data cable for it.
the .jad file is a "descriptor", basically some text info about the .jar (if you know your J2ME you know it, and if you don't you probably don't care, so on with the show..) some phones might require this one instead.

Dude! Which part of Important Notice up there did you not understand? Azi's Metronome 2 (MIDI Edition) - a much more reliable Metronome is now available! Forget about this one!

Azi's Metronome for most present-day phones (MIDP2) - recommended

Azi's Metronome for NOKIA phones

Azi's Metronome for Older phones (MIDP1)

To Download Directly with your Mobile Phone

Surf your gadget over to mobile.aziraphal.com and hit the correct link. See notes above.

Current version: 0.8.00

If you don't have the latest version, your phone most probably supports loading application updates. Try it! Many men have tried. They tried and failed, all of them? They tried and died! (Yes, the same J2ME software drives the Fremen Thumpers on Arrakis. Now go away.)

EULA or something.

No warranty. Azi's Metronome (henceforth referred to as Da Tick0r) is made available by Aziraphal on an "AS IS" basis and with all its faults. It's free, for Moog's sake.
In no event will Aziraphal be liable to any party for any damages, claims or costs whatsoever or any consequential, indirect, incidental damages, or any lost profits or lost savings caused by Da Tick0r.
No Modification. You may not modify, adapt, translate or create derivative works based upon Da Tick0r. You may not reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise attempt to discover the source code of Da Tick0r.
Da Tick0r is provided free of charge but the autor retains copyright. You are allowed, encouraged even, to make Da Tick0r available for download on a mobile phone software resource page, a part of a CD compilation or use it for any non-profit purpose - providing that full author credit is given. You are NOT allowed to sell or to rent Da Tick0r.
Have fun with it or my lawyers are coming over to tickle you pink.

Credits.

Aziraphal. The guy who wrote this thing. Note the URL. Better known for his achievements in the world of electronic music.

Fancy mobile phone image courtesy of Sun J2ME Wireless Toolkit 2.0.01

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*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***