The Gnome
The Gnome is a powerful metronome app I have developed for the iPhone. It can function as a simple metronome, a drum machine, or a programmable click track. Its tempo automation features make it a great practice and rehearsal aid. You can easily create rhythmic patterns in the Pattern Editor, and take advantage of the more than 200 individual sounds that come supplied with the app. The Gnome is also capable of playing back any sound file(s) you share to the app, and can generate customized beeps and tones, making the sonic possibilities of The Gnome virtually limitless.
Gnome Presets are easy to create and share, and The Gnome is also capable of exporting its output to separate audio files. The innovative Groove Editor allows you to define custom rhythmic feels, while the unique Timing Gauge measures your rhythmic accuracy.
Please see below for a link to the available Tutorial Videos, and for an overview of the app's main features and functions. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!.
The Home Screen provides a simple interface to the most basic Gnome functions. If you are looking for a simple, easy to use metronome, you'll find it here.
The DAW-like Mixer makes mixing the four Gnome channels, and manipulating each channel's settings a breeze. Each channel features rate, sound, pattern, sequence, groove, and automation settings that are easy to set up and can be saved as Gnome presets for quick recall.
Each of the four channels is supplied with a Pattern Editor (step sequencer) that allows for quick entry of rhythms, and a host of editing capabilities. There are 32 patterns available on each channel, which can be selected one at a time, or sequenced in the Pattern Sequencer.
The Pattern Sequencer allows you to order a channel's 32 patterns in any way you wish. The Channel 1 Pattern Editor provides additional functionality that makes it possible to create full click tracks with programmable tempo changes.
The Gnome comes supplied with a sound library of drums, cymbals, and other sounds (over 250 sounds total), giving you many options for constructing interesting patterns and grooves. You can share your own audio files to the app, and you can also generate custom beeps with the Beep Generator.
The Groove Editor allows for fine-tuning of the relative proportions of each partial within a subdivision, allowing for great variety in rhythmic feel, as well as other rhythmic possibilities.
The Tempo Ramp automates tempo changes through a series of simple settings. It can function as a programmable "slow-fast-slow" routine, or it can gradually "stair-step" its way to a goal.
The Gnome utilizes the microphone to assess the player's rhythmic accuracy as measured against one of the four channels on the mixer. The Gauge gives immediate feedback on the timing of each note, and tracks statistical data to give the user a clearer picture of their own rhythmic tendencies.
It is easy to take a 'snapshot' of the current Gnome settings and save them to a Gnome preset file. You can quickly organize preset files, as well as share them with other Gnome users.
The Gnome features a context-sensitive help system that is always available by swiping inward from the left side of the screen. You can quickly find detailed information on any app function with one swipe.
The Gnome began life as a Pure Data patch which I created during the winter of 2007-2008 for my own personal use. The main reason for creating this patch was that I wanted a metronome that could specifically do two things: I wanted to easily configure it to beep for a number of counts, and then rest a number of counts; and I wanted it to be able to speed up and slow down based on some timing settings. By the time I was done with it, the early version included a basic metronome, two subdivision sliders with settable rate, and a simple tempo ramp with Loop and Peak Increment (referred to as "Peak Delta"), but no break time, no beat timing, and no stair step mode. The subdivision sliders had fade-out and fade-in capability. There was also extremely limited Preset capability. I used this patch for many years, considering it my "secret weapon" of practice tools. Although I had some programming experience, I didn't take the idea of creating an iPhone version seriously until the summer of 2020. At that point, I dedicated myself to learning basic iOS development, followed by the basics of Core Audio programming, and was finally ready to begin developing The Gnome in April of 2021. On October 24, 2022, The Gnome version 1.0 went live on the Apple App Store!
The original Gnome PD patch is available for download! Note that this patch is provided as-is, without any expressed or implied warranty. Documentation is minimal. You must have Pure Data installed on your system to run the patch.
