I've uploaded a followup video with some clarifications. The tuner mode has zilch to do with the metronome mode. Pressing the upper left 'sound' button in tuner mode generates tones that change with the different settings. I mistakenly refer to the minute hand as the hour hand, and the hour hand as both the minute and second hand. Again - neither a professional musician _nor_ a professional video creator. 440Hz is also A above middle C. I think 30 people have let me know now. I've received the message.
I hope you’re not too hard on yourself- I enjoyed the vid, it was delivered charmingly, and made me subscribe to your channel. So a job well done I say! And your honesty gives you a very high score from me… curious to see more content from you😊
@@joshuapinter Mainly as a cool watch, but I might use it as a metronome (nowadays, if you have a phone, you have a metronome) so there are no situations really where I would NEED it. Nevertheless, it is a very functional metronome and tuning tool so it might serve me. Also, I find it nice since I wear watches to not use my phone as much as I used to, so that's another way I can limit my screen time, even if for such an occasional use. What makes it very cool for a clarinetist is that the most commonly played clarinet is tuned Bb (that is, if you play a C on the clarinet, really it plays a Bb, if that makes sense for a non-musician). You could tune to any note really, that's just a nice thing to have.
5:30 Middle C is 256 Hz. 440 Hz is an A above middle C. It is the most common standard for tuning instruments, that’s why 440 is one of the frequencies shown on the watch at the top right. And at top left, A and Bb are the most common tunings. Fun fact: The US time and frequency station WWV broadcasts a 440 Hz signal at two minutes past every hour, with WWVH broadcasting the same tone at the first minute past every hour. This was added in 1936 to aid orchestras in tuning their instruments.
Er... no, 256Hz C is physics. In music it would be 220 * (6 / 5) = 264Hz for just intonation and 220 * 2 ^ (1/4) = 261.62Hz for equal temperament if A is 440/220Hz [edit for detail: 2^(1/4) because it's 3 (3 semitones) times the 12th root of 2 --- the factor which raised to the 12th power doubles the frequecy (an octave is 12 semitones). The 6/5 is from the harmonic series. If we call a low F 1 the we get F=1, f=2, c=3, f'=4, a'=5, c'=6 so c'/a' = 6/5 ]
The BBC have been broadcasting the B5 tone for 90 years+ Was chosen B5 note as the easiest distinguished even in the worst reception which was important for the World Service which many people rely on the "pips" for timekeeping across the globe. In WW2 the pips became very important for resistance groups and military units like pilots or ship captains to calibrate their chronometers.
The A and the Bflat setting are a large range adjustment and the 440 (standard), 442(concert) and 443 are fine adjustment to align harmonics of the chirp chirp chirp thingy so the little squeaker won't disturb the piece of music being played with a discordant pitch. Really is quite a fancy gadget.
As a musician and watch geek this seriously scratched my itch for finding my next watch, thank you so much for putting this watch out there for all to see!
Oh yeah, plus one here! I gotta get me one of those. And then keep using the metronome app on my phone. But, seriously, how cool is this? What’s more , being Italian, I can rejoice at seeing the tempo markings in my own language.
Okay, I've never really been a seiko guy but this is really next fucking level in terms of creativity. Sure it's a bit weird, but that's how you stand apart in the watchmaking world
They make watches for all kinds of stuff, dress,casual,divers, serious divers, military, and even space,.some are very collectible and rare.. after Swiss, it would be seiko, in the last few weeks mines appreciated. Have a good day.
My first watch was an omega deville. Very slim body basic hour and minute. My current is a Seiko with date and seconds and also a stopwatch function. Chrome with a cream face and black dials. Illuminated dials too. Needs a service though and I haven't had the money to get it looked at lately
One reason for the surprise here is that , If I'm not mistaken, it's not marketed by Seiko Watch Corp but by SII, Seiko Instruments, the moment and instruments division. I love it too.
Other musicians have already clarified almost all the musical features of the watch. However, to thank you for this great review of a great watch that now I have to get ABSOLUTELY, let me just translate the time markings, which are in Italian. In standard, modern Italian: - Grave- this has nothing to do with burials and can mean “serious”, “solemn”, “heavy” (not of weight, but of matters/responsibilities/…), “deep pitched” or, as a noun, in physics, “heavy body-object “ - Largo means wide/ broad. Tempo-wise it’s very slow - Larghetto- the “etto” ending is diminutive (e.g. casa- house; casetta- small house ) thus not as slow as largo - Larghissimo is a superlative. In standard italian-as wide as it gets; in music- as slow as it gets - Lento- means… slow ! - Adagio- another way to say slow, but it means “at (your) ease”. So not as slow as “lento” - Adagietto - see “larghetto “ - Andante means “something that goes”, in music “at walking pace” - Andantino - another diminutive suffix “-ino”: just like larghETTO, this means a bit faster than “andante” - Moderato- moderate as in the things of life, so in music - Allegro means joyful, happy… so … faster! - Allegretto…. Not so fast - Allegrissimo, as in “larghissimo”- very fast - Vivace , usually used to describe children or particularly energetic beings or situations- means lively - Vivacissimo - very very fast, man! - Presto - this means “early” or “hurry”! - Prestissimo- as fast as it gets. And then some I gotta get me one of these seikos. And then continue using my smartphone metronome app… Still, how cool is this watch?! Thanks for the review!
I use a metronome as a aid for sleeping when the anxiety gets me. If you set it at about 56 BPM then breath out for 8 beats and in for say 6 you will bring your heart beat down and fall asleep. You can also do this visually when you don't want to sleep but need to be calmed.
Hi. I have been a professional instrumentalist since 1985. Here is your explanation… Okay, this is a standard set of functions for a metronome/tuner. It is not for individual practice but is to be used as more of a *reference* in an ensemble rehearsal or possibly a performance. • Metronome Function - You seem to get this one. It is far too soft to use while you are playing. However, this normally would be used in a rehearsal when checking a tempo before starting to play. Perhaps a brass quintet is about to sightread a piece and they want a definite tempo before commencing. Perfect! You don't have to have your phone or an actual metronome on your stand. Just quickly reference your watch. (You would use this while wearing it.) • Tuner Function - This one is a lot more arcane for a non-musician. In the US we use the standard of A above middle C tuned to 440 Hz. This was settled way back in the mid-1920s, pretty much everywhere on the planet. Prior to that, we had two standards. Instruments were built to both, with some being able to be adjusted to work in both standards. It was a royal PITA. So a standard was set. Currently, most professionals in the US use 440, but many have moved on to 442 (which is almost imperceptibly higher for a layperson, but it makes a difference to us). In Europe, many orchestras tune between 440 and 444 Hz. The standard that seems to be taking hold is 443 Hz with 442 being very commonly used. Now, what is confusing you about this watch's settings is that we refer to these as "440 pitch" or "440 tuning" with the "A" sort of partially divorced from the language, despite being implied. The common note we tune to is - duh - "A" - unless you are in a wind band, like a high school concert or marching band. In those groups, the tuning pitch is generally a Bb (B flat) or sometimes an F. So for this to be a really usable tuner it needs to be able to sound either a Bb or an A, so that is the choice on the left. And you have to set the watch to sound a Bb or an A in one of the three "A=" tuning levels of 440, 442, or 443 Hz. As with the metronome, it is FAR TOO SOFT to use as a sustained drone for others to tune to, but it makes an excellent quick reference pitch for one person to then play for the others in a group. (An example of tuning standards currently in use: A=415 Hz is frequently used in baroque ensembles that play in instruments made back at that time. It is nearly a half step lower than the pitch standards used today on modern instruments. If you tune a baroque violin to 442 without having it torn apart and reinforced internally you can warp or break the neck. It is that much lower than today. A tuba tuned at the factory to 442 will need a main tuning slide that is about four inches longer to be able to tune down to 440 in the US.) I hope this helps you out. Oh, and yes, the tempi ranges on the dial are in Italian, as are most Western musical terms. These are based on the first successful metronome, the tempi being determined by a mathematical formula so that not every number is used. (Example: 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100…) This is an old tradition used by classical musicians. Modern composers will just write whatever tempo they want, and frequently a metronome will not have it available. Digital ones always have every number in the range, but older ones do not. This watch is a nice tribute to "real" tempi.
Two points: a) this watch is weird in that most professional musicians needing a metronome use one attached to their lectern. It incidentally makes a nice page blocker so that pesky sheet music doesn't change page without warning. b) Grammar nazi time ! Plural of tempo is tempos. Tempi would be if you were speaking latin, which we are not. Grammar rules are those of the language spoken, not of the language of origin of a word. Besides, depending of whether the word is the subject and the grammatical tense, it could also endup as tempum. :D I know "Tempi" is widely used but it is a mistake.
As a musician, and watch geek, this went straight to the top of my want list. A few things: 440Hz is fairly universally consider a standard ‘A’, but some ensembles will tune to 442/443. Most Orchestral percussion will be tuned to 442Hz as well so it shimmers above the orchestra too. The Bb will likely be so wind instrument players can tune (most harmonically resonant frequency on most instruments). So I’d say there’s be a complication where that watch can produce a tone (either A/Bb in either of those three frequencies - though the Bb 466Hz when A=440…) The outer ring seems to indicate BPM or beats per minute, and generally musicians may use the second hand on a normal watch and subdivide to get to those tempi or close - for example; Allegro might be 120bpm, second hand indicates 60bpm (1 beat per second) so 2 beats per second = 120bpm = Allegro. This makes using a spring drive for timekeeping hard 😂 Great review! Thanks
I know some of these words. Music theory 101 is still a bit above me but I appreciate the detailed response! Sounds like they at least attempted to make a watch with a real purpose.
I love the creativity, I just have one nit. A mechanical metronome (which is what this is modelling) doesn't click in the middle of the arc-swing, it clicks at the ends
A440 is the standard concert pitch (so you could tune to the beep or maybe it plays the tone which would make more sense). 442 or 443 are other frequencies that can be used for tuning if you’re not in standard concert. (Cool watch!)
I am missing something, how do you set the time, why didn't you show this, for example if it was 6 o'clock when you were taping this video, why didn't you show us how to set the time and once the time is set how does it keep time when the hour hand is constantly rotating back and forth? Or is this not really a watch and some sort of musical instrument, but you called it a watch (watches tell time), so, I am shaking my head........
Actually, outside of the US basically everybody tunes to higher pitches then 440Hz these days. Of course there is also historical tuning, which is all over the place (although it seems to be consensus to play baroqu musik at around 415Hz these days, the 438Hz religious movement, special tunings for effects (like the devils violin from Mahler). Generally speaking though, most orchestras in the world are at 442Hz or 443Hz today, despite those in the US. The reason is not only the change in sound colour but also the balance between strings and wind sections. That being said, I learned violin tuning to 440Hz in my youth and still really prefer it, despite everybody around me going higher.
this is so cool, i thought this sort of unusual complications were a thing of the past, good job seiko for trying new things and thanks for sharing this with us! it looks like the perfect gift for your musician friend!
I always loved the old "tool watches" with functions other than timing. I would love to have a Casio UV-Check, so cool ( and nice for southern hemisphere)
I think it’s one of the best Seiko watches I have seen. I don’t care for thick large clunky watches. Plus I’m a musician. Very well done folks. Simple,elegant beautiful..
It's got something of the past about it. Reminds me of vernier calipers with the dial, and pressure gauges etc. It even looks like it's a piece of old equipment of some kind. I like it. Reminds me of times when things had a good quality about them, and were very practical and reliable.
Different orchestras, players of certain instruments (like a harpsichord), or certain periods of music (such as Baroque), often tune to other frequencies. 440 Hz is simply a convention.
Very nice. It highlights the wonderful meaning in this watch. It is a metronome watch! One of the coolest watches in the universe! Seriously, this is worth each and every penny I have! The dial is very cool and it can even have the reading of time!
The A and the Bflat setting are a large range adjustment and the 440 (standard), 442(concert) and 443 are fine adjustment to align harmonics of the chirp chirp chirp thingy so the little squeaker won't disturb the piece of music being played with a discordant pitch. Really is quite a fancy gadget.
Just bought 2! Heavy watch collector and love this! Is the joy of watches. Can have a diamond Rolex and a 200 gbp quartz and love them all equally for what they are!
I'm not happy about this. I swore I wouldn't spend more money on things I don't need. It is just so perfect! I want it now! As a musician, I don't think this would be better than any of the metronome apps (Soundbrenner is probably the best and also offers a Smartwatch metronome), but this is definitely cooler than any alternatives. Beautiful and interesting!
So, I managed to find a metronome app for my Garmin watch. It works fairly well. Obviously not as cool, but it looks I'll save those 300ish usd... for now.
Exactly how I feel about this watch- my gosh do I not need it…I have an app…a mechanical metronome…and a digital one already… Except this is such a cool gadget/way to flex…I think I’m gonna hold out and see if Seiko releases any more cool metronome dress watch models in the next few years cause their designs usually duplicate pretty hard with previous designs…
I have the silver dial, gold hands version of this, and it really is unique. The strap was terrible, and I changed it out right away, and its a small watch, not helped by the huge chapter ring, but it's so different and interesting that I can't help but love this one.
440 is the standard tuning. By tuning up a fraction to say 443, the music sounds a bit brighter. A very subtle adjustment. The ‘radio version’ of an album track often does this
I envy the clarinetist. I offer no excuses. Had never heard of this before, but have to have it! Thank you so much for this most fascinating video. What a great conversation piece!😊😊😊
Growing up in band percussion and drum line, this is so cool. We live and breath metronomes. I could see this being really useful for a nervous conductor that wanted to double check tempo before starting the orchestra!
Awesome little tool. Sometimes when performing, it's easy to accidentally start with too ambitious a tempo because of the excitement/nerves. Having a discreet reference on the wrist would be very useful in certain situations. Now I need one...
I am not a musician, but I am a huge music lover. And a watch lover. And this one is awesome. I also love the little detail that the hands are small tuning forks. And, having small wrists, this will fit me perfectly. Not sure yet, but is is on my 'I maybe buy this' list. I think I may in the end haha.
As a musician and a watch lover this would definitely be the highlight of my collection. I do see it as a novelty, though, considering you can get good metronome apps on your phone, but this is a really fun item regardless.
*slowly puts phone down and mumbles* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Gets into car down main road* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Walks into seiko dealership* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Realises he's bought every colour way of this model and maxed out his card*....."DAMN IT". *Smile still on his face*.
You don't need to take it off to use the metronome. Metronome is simply like the tempo for music. From slow to fast. That's basically what it does. So suppose you play the guitar and wants to play it to a certain speed or timing, that metronome is gonna guide you to the specific tempo
This gives you three modes: Timekeeping, Metronome (demonstrated), and Tuning Tuning (if the speaker is turned on) would produce either an A or Bb, and you could adjust either of those pitches by fractions of a half-step based on whether your A (standard freq of 440hz) was A440, A442, or A443. Typically in Europe and Asia, the tuning A (given by an oboe in orchestra) is higher than standard, i.e. A442-444, even. I would LOVE a combination watch that looked like this and integrated an actual tuner that would tell you if your pitch was sharp or flat. Very cool watch nonetheless!
What a fun watch! As an amateur musician with a watch addiction, I can’t see not acquiring one of these eventually. Saw this on a mustard ridged nato strap on Reddit which looked amazing, and got me to this video.
Yes I saw that post. I should play around with straps, but mine are all 20mm+. This has 18mm lugs. I think simple bauhaus style straps work, I just want one of higher quality.
I own a Seiko-Epson metronome. FYI Casio makes musical instruments in addtion to watches. I used to own a Casio CZ-101 synthesizer and it made some cool sounds.
Tuning note A (The note that is played when the Symphony Orchestra just comes on stage) usually is tuned either 440hz or 442hz, first time I heard of 443hz. Tuning note Bb (The note that is played when the Wind Orchestra just comes on stage) will have to be adjusted slightly depending on whether your A is 440hz or 442hz. Music theorist theorise that the 440Hz Orchestra has a darker tone while 442Hz is brighter. hence the difference.
The note and frequency refer to tuning notes. Some instruments tune to Bb and others. Tune to A. Different orchestras tune to different frequencies (440,442,444). Cool watch!
Good grief, that is very interesting.... how wonderful is that? I never knew, well I never, what a great tool for musicians, what a cool feature. Thank you!
Eager to see what an actual musician thinks of this in use. I was showing it to someone at a busy restaurant and it was much harder to hear. And you don't play most instruments with one hand, so I think if you want to see this you take it off. It makes sense for practice in a pinch but not sure what else.
One of Seiko's "dancing hands" watches has a chronograph that does the back and forward dance when in stopwatch mode and slightly different action in countdown mode, wouldn't surprise me Seiko built this one on the older ones tech.
Yes, this does remind of the seiko chronograph. However, the chronograph has bidirectional stepper motors that are slower and need to extra step to switch directions. These motors are much faster and appear to change directions much more fluently. I doubt if the technology is much the same.
I thought there won't be any new watch but maybe a Grand Seiko with a spring drive movement for me, however, this one makes me wonder. Fun little thing!
At first i was thinking that it would vibrate to the bpm. Im not a musician but hearing the sound over your own music or watching the hands while reading music i just think a single vibration would cover it all. I seen a brilliant short vid the other day where a drummers ear piece messed up so the drum tech had to tap the drummers legs to help him keep the beat.
The pitch seems to be for tuning your instrument, standard A is 440 Hz. So when the watch produces a sound in 440 Hz which is an A you will tune your guitars A string to that sound and then you will tune the rest of the strings using the already tuned A string. Which is quite a standard thing to do. It seems I will buy this watch too :). Thanks.
I hope this means that Analog Quartz is going through a phase of gimmicky complications. Imagine the wonderful tricks a quartz can do that, in a mechanical watch, would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars!
The metronome beep is in Ab for some reason. Tuning reference in A and Bb is very very nice as Tenor sax, Trumpet and Clarinet all tune to concert Bb. 440, 442 and 443 tuning standard is just a flex for people who want to cheat and stand out, sound brighter than the band. A440 is standard as in the note A is 440hz. Playing on the flat side gives a darker more soulful approach. It feels pensive and the player bends the end of the not up to concert pitch. Playing on the Sharp side makes a brighter, more piecing sound. Not labelling the hour markers with the circle of fifths is a huge missed opportunity! I want one.
I've uploaded a followup video with some clarifications. The tuner mode has zilch to do with the metronome mode. Pressing the upper left 'sound' button in tuner mode generates tones that change with the different settings.
I mistakenly refer to the minute hand as the hour hand, and the hour hand as both the minute and second hand. Again - neither a professional musician _nor_ a professional video creator.
440Hz is also A above middle C. I think 30 people have let me know now. I've received the message.
dont worry about ti you did a great job and i wouldnt know this wach exists if you didnt make this video
I hope you’re not too hard on yourself- I enjoyed the vid, it was delivered charmingly, and made me subscribe to your channel. So a job well done I say! And your honesty gives you a very high score from me… curious to see more content from you😊
I still love ur vid 😊
Hey, whats the lug width for straps replacement on this.
@@dantan1098 18mm
I'm a clarinetist. I just decided to buy one in 5 minutes. This was made for me ! Thanks for sharing !
Awesome. Curious, are you actually going to use it as a metronome or is it just a novelty to you?
@@joshuapinter Mainly as a cool watch, but I might use it as a metronome (nowadays, if you have a phone, you have a metronome) so there are no situations really where I would NEED it. Nevertheless, it is a very functional metronome and tuning tool so it might serve me. Also, I find it nice since I wear watches to not use my phone as much as I used to, so that's another way I can limit my screen time, even if for such an occasional use.
What makes it very cool for a clarinetist is that the most commonly played clarinet is tuned Bb (that is, if you play a C on the clarinet, really it plays a Bb, if that makes sense for a non-musician). You could tune to any note really, that's just a nice thing to have.
Great for alot of people
quick question just out of curiosity do you think this is helpful for another instrument like a pianist
@@kelvinini Yes, of course you can tune any instrument with this.
5:30 Middle C is 256 Hz. 440 Hz is an A above middle C. It is the most common standard for tuning instruments, that’s why 440 is one of the frequencies shown on the watch at the top right. And at top left, A and Bb are the most common tunings.
Fun fact: The US time and frequency station WWV broadcasts a 440 Hz signal at two minutes past every hour, with WWVH broadcasting the same tone at the first minute past every hour. This was added in 1936 to aid orchestras in tuning their instruments.
Er... no, 256Hz C is physics. In music it would be 220 * (6 / 5) = 264Hz for just intonation and 220 * 2 ^ (1/4) = 261.62Hz for equal temperament if A is 440/220Hz [edit for detail: 2^(1/4) because it's 3 (3 semitones) times the 12th root of 2 --- the factor which raised to the 12th power doubles the frequecy (an octave is 12 semitones). The 6/5 is from the harmonic series. If we call a low F 1 the we get F=1, f=2, c=3, f'=4, a'=5, c'=6 so c'/a' = 6/5 ]
The BBC have been broadcasting the B5 tone for 90 years+ Was chosen B5 note as the easiest distinguished even in the worst reception which was important for the World Service which many people rely on the "pips" for timekeeping across the globe. In WW2 the pips became very important for resistance groups and military units like pilots or ship captains to calibrate their chronometers.
The A and the Bflat setting are a large range adjustment and the 440 (standard), 442(concert) and 443 are fine adjustment to align harmonics of the chirp chirp chirp thingy so the little squeaker won't disturb the piece of music being played with a discordant pitch. Really is quite a fancy gadget.
@@billeterk you are technically correct, the best kind of correct.
As a musician and watch geek this seriously scratched my itch for finding my next watch, thank you so much for putting this watch out there for all to see!
Same goes for me.. instantly fell in love for it
Oh yeah, plus one here! I gotta get me one of those.
And then keep using the metronome app on my phone.
But, seriously, how cool is this?
What’s more , being Italian, I can rejoice at seeing the tempo markings in my own language.
Imagine this being mechanic....
@@rachidvanheyningen would be bigger than your fist
@@rachidvanheyningen well.......the price would be a handsome penny.
Okay, I've never really been a seiko guy but this is really next fucking level in terms of creativity. Sure it's a bit weird, but that's how you stand apart in the watchmaking world
They make watches for all kinds of stuff, dress,casual,divers, serious divers, military, and even space,.some are very collectible and rare.. after Swiss, it would be seiko, in the last few weeks mines appreciated. Have a good day.
My first watch was an omega deville. Very slim body basic hour and minute. My current is a Seiko with date and seconds and also a stopwatch function. Chrome with a cream face and black dials. Illuminated dials too. Needs a service though and I haven't had the money to get it looked at lately
This is the coolest watch I've seen in years and it's also good looking. Seiko has a ton of hidden gems.
Very classic and vintage looking. It has a nautical feel to it
It’s also technically brilliant when the backs off, watch them work, really good.
As a musician and watch lover...totally surprised a watch like this exists and that too from respectable Seiko.
Right I had no idea this existed until it popped up on my TH-cam feed recently. Super cool as a guitar player and a guy into watches 👍🏻
One reason for the surprise here is that , If I'm not mistaken, it's not marketed by Seiko Watch Corp but by SII, Seiko Instruments, the moment and instruments division. I love it too.
Other musicians have already clarified almost all the musical features of the watch.
However, to thank you for this great review of a great watch that now I have to get ABSOLUTELY, let me just translate the time markings, which are in Italian.
In standard, modern Italian:
- Grave- this has nothing to do with burials and can mean “serious”, “solemn”, “heavy” (not of weight, but of matters/responsibilities/…), “deep pitched” or, as a noun, in physics, “heavy body-object “
- Largo means wide/ broad. Tempo-wise it’s very slow
- Larghetto- the “etto” ending is diminutive (e.g. casa- house; casetta- small house ) thus not as slow as largo
- Larghissimo is a superlative. In standard italian-as wide as it gets; in music- as slow as it gets
- Lento- means… slow !
- Adagio- another way to say slow, but it means “at (your) ease”. So not as slow as “lento”
- Adagietto - see “larghetto “
- Andante means “something that goes”, in music “at walking pace”
- Andantino - another diminutive suffix “-ino”: just like larghETTO, this means a bit faster than “andante”
- Moderato- moderate as in the things of life, so in music
- Allegro means joyful, happy… so … faster!
- Allegretto…. Not so fast
- Allegrissimo, as in “larghissimo”- very fast
- Vivace , usually used to describe children or particularly energetic beings or situations- means lively
- Vivacissimo - very very fast, man!
- Presto - this means “early” or “hurry”!
- Prestissimo- as fast as it gets. And then some
I gotta get me one of these seikos.
And then continue using my smartphone metronome app…
Still, how cool is this watch?!
Thanks for the review!
I use a metronome as a aid for sleeping when the anxiety gets me.
If you set it at about 56 BPM then breath out for 8 beats and in for say 6 you will bring your heart beat down and fall asleep.
You can also do this visually when you don't want to sleep but need to be calmed.
thats cool
Hi. I have been a professional instrumentalist since 1985. Here is your explanation…
Okay, this is a standard set of functions for a metronome/tuner. It is not for individual practice but is to be used as more of a *reference* in an ensemble rehearsal or possibly a performance.
• Metronome Function - You seem to get this one. It is far too soft to use while you are playing. However, this normally would be used in a rehearsal when checking a tempo before starting to play. Perhaps a brass quintet is about to sightread a piece and they want a definite tempo before commencing. Perfect! You don't have to have your phone or an actual metronome on your stand. Just quickly reference your watch. (You would use this while wearing it.)
• Tuner Function - This one is a lot more arcane for a non-musician. In the US we use the standard of A above middle C tuned to 440 Hz. This was settled way back in the mid-1920s, pretty much everywhere on the planet. Prior to that, we had two standards. Instruments were built to both, with some being able to be adjusted to work in both standards. It was a royal PITA. So a standard was set. Currently, most professionals in the US use 440, but many have moved on to 442 (which is almost imperceptibly higher for a layperson, but it makes a difference to us). In Europe, many orchestras tune between 440 and 444 Hz. The standard that seems to be taking hold is 443 Hz with 442 being very commonly used. Now, what is confusing you about this watch's settings is that we refer to these as "440 pitch" or "440 tuning" with the "A" sort of partially divorced from the language, despite being implied. The common note we tune to is - duh - "A" - unless you are in a wind band, like a high school concert or marching band. In those groups, the tuning pitch is generally a Bb (B flat) or sometimes an F. So for this to be a really usable tuner it needs to be able to sound either a Bb or an A, so that is the choice on the left. And you have to set the watch to sound a Bb or an A in one of the three "A=" tuning levels of 440, 442, or 443 Hz. As with the metronome, it is FAR TOO SOFT to use as a sustained drone for others to tune to, but it makes an excellent quick reference pitch for one person to then play for the others in a group. (An example of tuning standards currently in use: A=415 Hz is frequently used in baroque ensembles that play in instruments made back at that time. It is nearly a half step lower than the pitch standards used today on modern instruments. If you tune a baroque violin to 442 without having it torn apart and reinforced internally you can warp or break the neck. It is that much lower than today. A tuba tuned at the factory to 442 will need a main tuning slide that is about four inches longer to be able to tune down to 440 in the US.)
I hope this helps you out. Oh, and yes, the tempi ranges on the dial are in Italian, as are most Western musical terms. These are based on the first successful metronome, the tempi being determined by a mathematical formula so that not every number is used. (Example: 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100…) This is an old tradition used by classical musicians. Modern composers will just write whatever tempo they want, and frequently a metronome will not have it available. Digital ones always have every number in the range, but older ones do not. This watch is a nice tribute to "real" tempi.
Two points: a) this watch is weird in that most professional musicians needing a metronome use one attached to their lectern. It incidentally makes a nice page blocker so that pesky sheet music doesn't change page without warning. b) Grammar nazi time ! Plural of tempo is tempos. Tempi would be if you were speaking latin, which we are not. Grammar rules are those of the language spoken, not of the language of origin of a word. Besides, depending of whether the word is the subject and the grammatical tense, it could also endup as tempum. :D I know "Tempi" is widely used but it is a mistake.
Nice essay.
As a musician, and watch geek, this went straight to the top of my want list.
A few things:
440Hz is fairly universally consider a standard ‘A’, but some ensembles will tune to 442/443. Most Orchestral percussion will be tuned to 442Hz as well so it shimmers above the orchestra too.
The Bb will likely be so wind instrument players can tune (most harmonically resonant frequency on most instruments). So I’d say there’s be a complication where that watch can produce a tone (either A/Bb in either of those three frequencies - though the Bb 466Hz when A=440…)
The outer ring seems to indicate BPM or beats per minute, and generally musicians may use the second hand on a normal watch and subdivide to get to those tempi or close - for example; Allegro might be 120bpm, second hand indicates 60bpm (1 beat per second) so 2 beats per second = 120bpm = Allegro. This makes using a spring drive for timekeeping hard 😂
Great review! Thanks
I know some of these words.
Music theory 101 is still a bit above me but I appreciate the detailed response! Sounds like they at least attempted to make a watch with a real purpose.
963htz-the GOD frequency is also very important to combine sound with an inner connection to SOURCE.
Works fine for a metronome, the tuning note is nice. As a musician I'd use one. Middle C is not 440hz, A above middle C is 440hz
Actually, A is 440Hz.
@@pokerpig9069 this is what the above user said
I love the creativity, I just have one nit. A mechanical metronome (which is what this is modelling) doesn't click in the middle of the arc-swing, it clicks at the ends
This is so much cooler than any fancy smartwatch out there.
I’m so happy Seiko is still doing these silly things. Reminds me a lot of their 8M25 movements from the 90s…
Oh wow. I don't think a single watch has gotten me as excited as this one. It's the next one I get for sure. Great video, thanks for sharing!
A440 is the standard concert pitch (so you could tune to the beep or maybe it plays the tone which would make more sense). 442 or 443 are other frequencies that can be used for tuning if you’re not in standard concert. (Cool watch!)
For Baroque music the pitch tends to be lower, of course. I’ve heard a lot with A = 415 Hz - not that my lousy sense of pitch can tell that reliably…
Plenty of European orchestras are thinking to A= 442 or 443Hz.
Good to see other players on the watch channels!
I am missing something, how do you set the time, why didn't you show this, for example if it was 6 o'clock when you were taping this video, why didn't you show us how to set the time and once the time is set how does it keep time when the hour hand is constantly rotating back and forth? Or is this not really a watch and some sort of musical instrument, but you called it a watch (watches tell time), so, I am shaking my head........
Actually, outside of the US basically everybody tunes to higher pitches then 440Hz these days. Of course there is also historical tuning, which is all over the place (although it seems to be consensus to play baroqu musik at around 415Hz these days, the 438Hz religious movement, special tunings for effects (like the devils violin from Mahler). Generally speaking though, most orchestras in the world are at 442Hz or 443Hz today, despite those in the US. The reason is not only the change in sound colour but also the balance between strings and wind sections.
That being said, I learned violin tuning to 440Hz in my youth and still really prefer it, despite everybody around me going higher.
this is so cool, i thought this sort of unusual complications were a thing of the past, good job seiko for trying new things and thanks for sharing this with us!
it looks like the perfect gift for your musician friend!
Yeah not sure you could of had a Metronome Watch in the past,but please don't take that as a Beat down.
I always loved the old "tool watches" with functions other than timing.
I would love to have a Casio UV-Check, so cool ( and nice for southern hemisphere)
I think it’s one of the best Seiko watches I have seen. I don’t care for thick large clunky watches.
Plus I’m a musician. Very well done folks. Simple,elegant beautiful..
This is gorgeous, whether you are an active musician or not. What a wonderfully designed, original little machine!
It's got something of the past about it. Reminds me of vernier calipers with the dial, and pressure gauges etc. It even looks like it's a piece of old equipment of some kind. I like it. Reminds me of times when things had a good quality about them, and were very practical and reliable.
Different orchestras, players of certain instruments (like a harpsichord), or certain periods of music (such as Baroque), often tune to other frequencies. 440 Hz is simply a convention.
As a guitarist, this watch is a must! It's also a beautiful watch.
Just ordered mine on ebay earlier today after watching this unboxing video! Great addition to my collection! ❤
Never thought I would see the day when I would find a more elegant version of the Soundbrenner. Neat!
Very nice. It highlights the wonderful meaning in this watch. It is a metronome watch! One of the coolest watches in the universe! Seriously, this is worth each and every penny I have! The dial is very cool and it can even have the reading of time!
Okay. I need this. A gorgeous “must have” for a musician! Thanks for the video!
I’ve seen the Seiko with dancing hands, but I’ve never seen this, thank you for sharing
My Step Dad always wore a Seiko, no other. Love it! God Bless!🙏😇
The A and the Bflat setting are a large range adjustment and the 440 (standard), 442(concert) and 443 are fine adjustment to align harmonics of the chirp chirp chirp thingy so the little squeaker won't disturb the piece of music being played with a discordant pitch. Really is quite a fancy gadget.
Just bought 2! Heavy watch collector and love this! Is the joy of watches. Can have a diamond Rolex and a 200 gbp quartz and love them all equally for what they are!
Thank you very much for doing this review. These watch are often overlooked in the watch community.
As a guitarist I can totally see a need / convenience factor this would have! Fantastic review or a quirky piece! 👏 👏
Quite apart from it's unusual functionality, it's a beautiful watch. The clean lines and fine finish is something to behold!
I'm not happy about this.
I swore I wouldn't spend more money on things I don't need.
It is just so perfect! I want it now!
As a musician, I don't think this would be better than any of the metronome apps (Soundbrenner is probably the best and also offers a Smartwatch metronome), but this is definitely cooler than any alternatives. Beautiful and interesting!
if you can feel the vibration on the wrist with this it's an absolute sale
So, I managed to find a metronome app for my Garmin watch. It works fairly well. Obviously not as cool, but it looks I'll save those 300ish usd... for now.
Exactly how I feel about this watch- my gosh do I not need it…I have an app…a mechanical metronome…and a digital one already…
Except this is such a cool gadget/way to flex…I think I’m gonna hold out and see if Seiko releases any more cool metronome dress watch models in the next few years cause their designs usually duplicate pretty hard with previous designs…
Brilliant! I'm a watch addict and drummer and I've just ordered one; thanks for this great video.
This makes me want to learn to play an instrument, again. Thanks.
I have the silver dial, gold hands version of this, and it really is unique. The strap was terrible, and I changed it out right away, and its a small watch, not helped by the huge chapter ring, but it's so different and interesting that I can't help but love this one.
Is the metronome loud enough for you to actually hear it while practicing?
@@SmokedHam444 It depends what you play. 😁 But the hand movements are a great visual beat too.
440 is the standard tuning. By tuning up a fraction to say 443, the music sounds a bit brighter. A very subtle adjustment. The ‘radio version’ of an album track often does this
Gorgeous minimalist watch
I envy the clarinetist. I offer no excuses. Had never heard of this before, but have to have it! Thank you so much for this most fascinating video. What a great conversation piece!😊😊😊
Thanks for thinking about us impatient types!
Growing up in band percussion and drum line, this is so cool. We live and breath metronomes. I could see this being really useful for a nervous conductor that wanted to double check tempo before starting the orchestra!
You don't need this, just use your high hat and left foot. 😉
Man the complication on this is amazing. I want one!
Love at first sight. I bought one from the Japanese website you recommended. Google translate is magic.
Awesome little tool. Sometimes when performing, it's easy to accidentally start with too ambitious a tempo because of the excitement/nerves. Having a discreet reference on the wrist would be very useful in certain situations. Now I need one...
It’s Seiko, expect them to be at their best. It’s not like a metronome,it is one. Good vid.
The looks alone, it’s a very useful piece of Art. Only Nomos come close.
Not a true musician, but this is just fantastic that Seiko makes this !! Really very special.
musicians everywhere just shed a tear out of sheer happiness
Very clever design. Not bad looking too.
thank you so much for sharing this!
I'm def gonna buy aone and may keep one in the drawer for when I want to gift one
Oh yeah! I need one of these. I'm an accordionist and this would help me keep the tempo.👍
undoubtedly the coolest thing i’ve seen this year. self birthday gift acquired.
I am not a musician, but I am a huge music lover. And a watch lover. And this one is awesome. I also love the little detail that the hands are small tuning forks. And, having small wrists, this will fit me perfectly. Not sure yet, but is is on my 'I maybe buy this' list. I think I may in the end haha.
Great video, this is one of the neatest watches I have ever seen, thank you very much for sharing, God Bless All ❤️
Extremely interesting watch! I'm glad it gives tunings other than 440 which may cause psychic damage!
As a musician and a watch lover this would definitely be the highlight of my collection. I do see it as a novelty, though, considering you can get good metronome apps on your phone, but this is a really fun item regardless.
There’s also a clock on your phone.
My very first analog guitar tuner was a Seiko, I still have it and it still works.
This is an awesome watch, just the piece of kit that's really useful for a musician. I will get one just to wear when playing my 🎸😊 Cheers
Been collecting watches all my and never have I seen one of these. Very interesting
What a wonderful gift to my musically inclined friends.
I can't wait to see it on my wrist! Waiting mine on September pre order
me too! done placing my pre-order at StrapSeeker!
A fresh take on “keeping time”!
*slowly puts phone down and mumbles* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Gets into car down main road* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Walks into seiko dealership* "I don't need it I don't need it". *Realises he's bought every colour way of this model and maxed out his card*....."DAMN IT". *Smile still on his face*.
Ok this has no practical use for me but it is cool as hell, thanks for sharing!
You don't need to take it off to use the metronome. Metronome is simply like the tempo for music. From slow to fast. That's basically what it does. So suppose you play the guitar and wants to play it to a certain speed or timing, that metronome is gonna guide you to the specific tempo
But it helps to glance at the light sometimes.
This gives you three modes:
Timekeeping, Metronome (demonstrated), and Tuning
Tuning (if the speaker is turned on) would produce either an A or Bb, and you could adjust either of those pitches by fractions of a half-step based on whether your A (standard freq of 440hz) was A440, A442, or A443. Typically in Europe and Asia, the tuning A (given by an oboe in orchestra) is higher than standard, i.e. A442-444, even.
I would LOVE a combination watch that looked like this and integrated an actual tuner that would tell you if your pitch was sharp or flat.
Very cool watch nonetheless!
What a fun watch! As an amateur musician with a watch addiction, I can’t see not acquiring one of these eventually. Saw this on a mustard ridged nato strap on Reddit which looked amazing, and got me to this video.
Yes I saw that post. I should play around with straps, but mine are all 20mm+. This has 18mm lugs. I think simple bauhaus style straps work, I just want one of higher quality.
Nice tool watch simple and elegant.
Cool design, great for piano learning.
thank you for being an American vlogger willing to read a word with which he was unfamiliar and TRY to sound it correctly. Most are too lazy.
Really beautiful and unique timepiece ❤
I own a Seiko-Epson metronome. FYI Casio makes musical instruments in addtion to watches. I used to own a Casio CZ-101 synthesizer and it made some cool sounds.
Tuning note A (The note that is played when the Symphony Orchestra just comes on stage) usually is tuned either 440hz or 442hz, first time I heard of 443hz.
Tuning note Bb (The note that is played when the Wind Orchestra just comes on stage) will have to be adjusted slightly depending on whether your A is 440hz or 442hz.
Music theorist theorise that the 440Hz Orchestra has a darker tone while 442Hz is brighter.
hence the difference.
The note and frequency refer to tuning notes. Some instruments tune to Bb and others. Tune to A. Different orchestras tune to different frequencies (440,442,444).
Cool watch!
Now that is something you don't see every day. Very Nice!
That’s really awesome and unusual! I’m not even a musician and I’d love to have one.
Good grief, that is very interesting.... how wonderful is that? I never knew, well I never, what a great tool for musicians, what a cool feature. Thank you!
Eager to see what an actual musician thinks of this in use. I was showing it to someone at a busy restaurant and it was much harder to hear. And you don't play most instruments with one hand, so I think if you want to see this you take it off. It makes sense for practice in a pinch but not sure what else.
One of Seiko's "dancing hands" watches has a chronograph that does the back and forward dance when in stopwatch mode and slightly different action in countdown mode, wouldn't surprise me Seiko built this one on the older ones tech.
Your name is written absolutely infuriating
Yes, this does remind of the seiko chronograph. However, the chronograph has bidirectional stepper motors that are slower and need to extra step to switch directions. These motors are much faster and appear to change directions much more fluently. I doubt if the technology is much the same.
That is SOOO cool. I play the oboe and that makes so much sense. Thank you
I thought there won't be any new watch but maybe a Grand Seiko with a spring drive movement for me, however, this one makes me wonder. Fun little thing!
"...certainly not in an airport..." Cracked me up. Thanks for sharing.
looks amazing too
At first i was thinking that it would vibrate to the bpm. Im not a musician but hearing the sound over your own music or watching the hands while reading music i just think a single vibration would cover it all.
I seen a brilliant short vid the other day where a drummers ear piece messed up so the drum tech had to tap the drummers legs to help him keep the beat.
Vibration is the one obvious feature that would have made this watch perfect but is sadly missing.
And it looks beautiful.
i'm not a musician but certainly that is a classy dress watch. And a tool watch ❤
as drummer and watch enthusiast I love it!
Thank you for showing this! Such a good find🖤 Keep up the great content
Brilliant loved it! Not a musician but I need this in my watch collection
“certainly not in an airport😂😂”
Beautiful looking watch.
Wow, that's something new! Amazing idea, and a really interesting watch face! 😍
If I still had time to play the piano, I would absolutely buy one 😃
The pitch seems to be for tuning your instrument, standard A is 440 Hz. So when the watch produces a sound in 440 Hz which is an A you will tune your guitars A string to that sound and then you will tune the rest of the strings using the already tuned A string. Which is quite a standard thing to do. It seems I will buy this watch too :). Thanks.
RIP anyone with so-called "perfect pitch". lol
I hope this means that Analog Quartz is going through a phase of gimmicky complications. Imagine the wonderful tricks a quartz can do that, in a mechanical watch, would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars!
Only if the next upgrade in vibration mode not the beep sound..very great then. Nice to use, nice to see, nice to keep up in right paces..classic!
This is sooooo crazy that's some precision
The metronome beep is in Ab for some reason. Tuning reference in A and Bb is very very nice as Tenor sax, Trumpet and Clarinet all tune to concert Bb. 440, 442 and 443 tuning standard is just a flex for people who want to cheat and stand out, sound brighter than the band. A440 is standard as in the note A is 440hz. Playing on the flat side gives a darker more soulful approach. It feels pensive and the player bends the end of the not up to concert pitch. Playing on the Sharp side makes a brighter, more piecing sound. Not labelling the hour markers with the circle of fifths is a huge missed opportunity! I want one.
I noticed that it's not MIJ but the work and idea are still great ! thanks for the video.
Seiko also made expensive synth's back in the early 80's and I also have a Seiko electronic guitar tuner.
Best watch I've seen in a while!