Drum machine (and metronome)!

practice both

Always used a metronome - especially when I was playing classical music on the piano. Now I find I use the metronome sometimes but I also have a very strong internal pulse

The question is misleading. Haven't met a single musician with a reliable internal pulse who didn't train with a metronome. Just doesn't happen. But you can't solely rely on a metronome, even when you play in a band that uses a click. So you develop the internal rhythm with a metronome, and once you have it, you use it less and less

Unfortunately, it tooks ten years of studio recording (with click all day) before I achieved anything interesting! Don't despair, keep practicing. I'm happy now !

My foundation is inner feel and I have and use a metronome to tighten up my rhythm. However when practicing I prefer a drum track, or some kind of instrument holding the bpm down. I really enjoy and have the most fun when playing along with songs..ex) James Brown or any funky tune, Thin lizzy - Boy are back in town, AC/DC etc

As a teenager, when I was learning piano at a music school, I absolutely needed a metronome right beside me. Then I quit piano lessons and didn't play any instrument for about 10 years, until I decided to try drums. Few months later I was playing on 2 bands and getting some lessons. I never needed the metronome to keep a reasonably tight pulse in any situation... Humans are strange.