Tempo REF v1.6            (bold = important/related items)                                                         Patent Pending

INSTRUCTIONS

               Using over 35 years experience with 2 models of BEAT BUG (the first product of its kind), every effort has been made to strike a balance between; including as many features as possible, power conservation, simplicity and logical/user-friendly operation. But certainly there will be a short learning period for you. Just fool around with the REF for a while and give yourself time to get to know it. It helps a lot to have the REF in-hand performing each operation as you read.  

The REF is sleeping!

Fully advance the threshold knob clockwise. A raised white line on this knob is viewed at its lowest position. Picture this line as a bar you need to jump over.  A higher bar is harder to clear, requiring louder taps!  Now wake your REF with a fingernail tap.  A "  1" is displayed for 30 seconds and the REF will go back to sleep if no further action is taken. This initial wake period conserves battery power if accidentally awakened. 

MONITOR MODE

               The REF is now ready to monitor taps heard by its internal and external sensors and provide an instantaneous beat-to-beat evaluation in real-time; displaying beats per minute it technically is a “TEMPOMETER”. This is the REF’s default mode and no matter what the present mode, unless you’re pressing a button, a tap will always take you to this mode. Raising the threshold (CCW) will filter out ghost notes and the decimals will flash when an accented beat has been heard. Maintaining a consistent reading is the name of the game. Range in this mode is 10 to 255 bpm.

USE

               Hold the REF in one hand and tap a fingernail on its back surface; or place the REF on a music stand or hard tabletop and tap on your REF next to the numbers. Your taps will be reflected off the hard surface and hit the REF's internal sensor. To monitor foot taps, tape the external sensor foam-up to a thin piece of plastic or plywood placed on the floor and foot-tap the plywood. DO NOT foot-tap on the sensor.

               Half the song tempo will be displayed if a 2,4 “backbeat” is tapped. Quarter notes will display actual song tempo and subdivisions of quarters will display multiples of song tempo. Irregular patterns can also be monitored, as long as it's a repeating pattern and there's a rest in the pattern long enough for a number to be read. It doesn't matter what or where a number is, nor the time signature. As long as you consistently see the same (or nearly the same) number in the same place your meter is steady. (Please don’t try to do the math every time. We will not be responsible for you driving yourself and fellow band members nuts.) Jazz drummers may also monitor their tempi by briefly reverting to a consistent pattern or backbeat.

When a drumhead is struck, vibrations radiate from its center and travel across it. The supplied Velcro MUST be used on a drumhead to elevate the REF and transmit vibration to the “sweet spot” at the center of its back surface. To maximize transference and sensitivity use only a 1-inch square patch of Velcro on both surfaces. Both surfaces must be clean and dry before applying the Velcro. Press several times with a firm rocking motion when attaching your REF. Adjust the threshold to only respond to accented beats. Tempo REF will function properly on a drum only when it and its sensor are attached EXACTLY as prescribed here.

If you’re seeing a  “ 1” here because of double triggering, raise the threshold a bit. A vibrating drumhead is an extremely hostile/dirty environment when trying to convert this sustained motion into a single digital pulse and a little muffling is a good thing in this situation. Hard hitters don't need maximum sensitivity and should use larger Velcro strips to ensure attachment. The REF should be located as far out to the rim as your playing volume will allow to avoid being struck.

The wire drum clip, installed onto a tension rod, should reach over your rim and firmly hold the more sensitive external sensor (foam up) flat to the batter head. Plug the sensor into your REF and adjust threshold as needed. First, ground yourself and what you’re plugging in to avoid a static discharge. This is a 2.5mm micro-mini jack connecting internal and external sensors in parallel, so both sensors are always "On".

SONG STARTS IN A NUTSHELL

(It doesn’t get any easier than 1-2-3!)   1. Hold a button down to get to the desired preset and release.  2. The tempo stored in that preset will flash and beep for 1 minute. 3. Change a stored tempo while the apostrophe is on.

               Once a button is pressed and released, if uninterrupted, the automatic mode step-down sequence is:

PRESET ® CHANGE TEMPO ® SONG START ® MONITOR ® SLEEP.

(1 sec.)             (1½ sec.)                   (1 min.)             (5 min.)

PRESET MODE

If a song start or metronome is needed there are 66 programmable presets available. P: 1 thru P:65 are 1-minute kickoffs and P:66 is a 20-min. standard metronome. Press and release either button. You'll see P:## (# = number); this is PRESET MODE.

After 1 second this will change to ##’#. Notice the apostrophe over the center and right digits; this is CHANGE TEMPO MODE.

The apostrophe will extinguish after 1½ seconds, then SONG START MODE lasts 1 min.

Step to other presets by holding down either button. The number slowly steps 5 times then goes faster to quickly get you to a distant preset. Release the button when you're within 5 numbers of your target and again slowly step to it and release. If you go past it just press the other button. Stepping loops in both directions; i.e. P:66 increments to P: 1, and P: 1 decrements to P:66.

When a button is released the REF waits 1 second for any additional stepping and then exits to CHANGE TEMPO MODE.  

CHANGE TEMPO MODE

               CHANGE TEMPO MODE, indicated by an apostrophe, is automatically entered from PRESET MODE; and as long as the apostrophe is lit this is your opportunity to change the tempo stored in any preset. So while the apostrophe is lit, press and hold either button. The number will again slowly step 5 times then go fast. Range in this mode is 10 to 254 bpm (P:66 = 40 to 208 bpm). Stepping loops in both directions; i.e. tempo 254 increments to 10, and 10 decrements to 254. All preset tempi are set to 111 from the factory.

When a button is released the REF waits 1½ seconds for any additional changes and then exits to SONG START MODE.  

SONG START MODE

The number will flash and beep at the displayed bpm for 1 minute (P:66 = 20 min.) in this mode unless interrupted by a tap or button press. Notice how the display goes off halfway through the period? This special feature marks the UP in addition to the DOWN beat, can be used as a visual tempo doubler, and is very helpful for kickoffs at extreme largo to grave tempi below 40 bpm. Cool… huh?

SONG START MODE exits to MONITOR MODE, and if another minute/20 min. is needed, simply tap either button to restart. Once in MONITOR MODE, the REF will automatically go to SLEEP after 5 minutes of inactivity. Simply tap to re-awaken. Settings are retained in memory and retrieved upon wake up. The REF brings you right back to where you were before it went to sleep.  

VERBOSE / MUTE

               To toggle the beep on and off anytime, press and release both buttons simultaneously. VERBOSE is represented by a "b  " for beep, and MUTE by a "-  ". The toggle is executed upon exit to PRESET MODE.

To force the REF to sleep, first max the threshold fully CCW (off) then hold both buttons for 3 seconds. (NOTE: This does NOT execute a beep toggle even though the display indicates so.)  

HINTS

*Draw up a P-numbered list of songs with respective tempi and keep it handy. *Do not place your REF directly over a drum's internal muffler. Use of any muffling device (rings, pads, tape, …etc.) will naturally inhibit skin vibration and obviously decrease REF sensitivity. *To keep the REF in SONG START/METRONOME while playing a drum, max the threshold fully CCW so it doesn’t trigger out of this mode. *Store your REF with nothing pressing buttons (or you'll kill the batteries) and threshold max’d. (Greatly extends battery life.) *Free up sticking buttons with a little Vaseline.

·         IMPORTANT: If at any time your REF functions improperly or loses presets, reset the unit by removing BOTH batteries and reinserting. Correct power-up/initialization is indicated by 111 at every preset and steady, stable monitoring. Check these before replacing the cover. When this remedy fails or needs to be repeated it’s time to replace batteries or you’re using the wrong brand. The external sensor could also be intermittent. Never replace just one battery. A weak battery will ruin a good one, so you need to quickly replace the second battery. Always discard used cells. A used cell may test “GOOD” but won’t have much in reserve.

REPLACING BATTERIES

               Not to worry! Your REF will never just go dead on you. It uses large capacity lithium coin cells that can last up to a year+ before your REF will begin to malfunction. When the batteries get weak the REF will trigger very easily and you’ll have to start increasing threshold to correctly “track” taps. The REF is telling you its batteries should be replaced soon. These batteries have a 10-year shelf life at room temperature. Weak batteries will not affect accuracy, only triggering threshold, memory and LED brightness.

Unscrew the back cover, SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY LIFT THIS COVER! Sensor, wires and foam should remain attached to the cover.

Another special design feature is the use of 2 batteries in parallel. This allows you to replace one battery at a time and avoid reprogramming the unit. With a small screwdriver, carefully pry up between a battery and its holder tabs at the bottom, negative(-) end, pushing the cell against the holder’s two metal fingers on the opposite, positive(+) end. Do not pry up on the battery holders.

Slide the new cells in against the same metal fingers at the positive end first, and then push down on the negative end. They'll noticeably snap into position. Check for proper function then replace the cover being careful not to over-tighten screws or pinch wires. Use any CR2450 cell, but RENATA CR2450N is preferred because they perfectly mate with the Renata holders in your REF. Others won’t properly fit the holders, can damage them, and may cause your REF to malfunction.

WARRANTY

               L.T. Lug Lock warrantees this unit against factory defects for 6 months after date of purchase. The maker is not responsible for damaged product once shipped. External sensors are not warranted due to their fragile nature. See our website for all returns and extra parts. See our other helpful drumming products at www.temporef.com.      WARNING: Keep small parts out of reach of small children.