Choosing the Right Metronome or Tuner
  The first thing you want to think about is what you are really trying to accomplish with a tuner or metronome because they both do very different thing. Metronomes help with rhythm, keeping a consistent tempo and time signature. Tuner help primarily with tuning or difficult pitch work. Combination units offer both a metronome and tuner in one package, which can be much more convenient.
  Metronomes are one of the most commonly used tools for any musician, mainly because it is hard for any human being (yes, even a musician!) to keep a steady beat whether playing an instrument or not! Mechanical, pendulum-style Metronomes have long been the traditional standard in music education, and still remain a favorite with many music studios today. Because of the size of these mechanical products, electronic metronomes have enjoyed great demand with players seeking something more compact and portable. Simpler designs such as the Seiko Quartz Metronome (item #M380) or Shar MetroTone (item#SM1000) often favor dials to adjust tempo, earphone jacks, and some sort of LCD or LED display to emphasize the beat.
  Digital Metronomes often come with more features so they tend to have buttons that are often given the function of navigating through short menus to program parameters
  A young student (who may not be as motivated to practice with a metronome) might be better off with a simpler design, while advanced players and teachers will be comfortable with something more complex, provided the features are of interest to the user.
  Intermediate to advancing players who are practicing more scale exercises will be very interested in metronomes that are capable of subdividing the beat into various units (eighth and sixteenth notes, triplets, etc.) and giving the downbeat a different sound.
  Performers of modern, rhythmically advanced music will want to execute changing time signatures and asymmetrical meters with products like the Dr. Beat M90 or the IMT400 Intelli Programmable Metronome (which can actually program the meter structure of a piece of music in much the same way that a sequencer or drum machine can). Of course, the most important feature for many musicians is sound. Some instruments are louder than others and the metronome needs to be heard. Many people prefer a woodblock tone, while others may want a chime or drum sound that is distinct from the instrument being played. For some people, a volume control will be critical.
  Tuners can be as simple as a tuning fork, pitch pipes, or a device (like the Shar SM1000 metronome) that can generate tuning tones. The Cherub Keytone (item #C62) is an example of taking the pitch pipe concept to a more convenient electronic product. "Direct Connection" vibration-sensing tuners are very popular with acoustic instrumentalists for their ability to perform with accuracy in noisy ensemble environments.
  Performers of ancient music on period instruments will be very interested in electronic tuners that are capable of being recalibrated to the tuning standards of the period in question, such as the Shar Wide Range Digital Metro-Tuner (item #ST204). Teachers who are proficient on multiple instruments will require products that have more extended tuning ranges to accomodate all instruments in their arsenal, while students will be able to get by with something simpler.