Metronomes

The Devil’s Beat Box

Just to be clear, this is not a post about The MetroGnomes Herbert, Sherbert, Maggot and Rusty from the UK. This post is about metronomes — those ticking, beeping musical timekeepers—and how to use them.

Now that we have cleared that up, let’s dig in and explore what a metronome is, how to use one, when to use one, and when NOT to use one.

Metronomes: Tick-Tock Torture or Timekeeping Tool?

A metronome is a device to help a musician learn how to keep a steady beat. Old fashioned metronomes had a small weight that moved up and down along a thin piece of metal. The musician would wind up the device and then unhitch the long metal bar, unleashing it to swing to and fro, while creating a clicking sound when it reached the end of its arc.

“Tick…Tick…Tick…Tick…”it would go while the musician tried to play their music or musical exercise along with it.

“Tick…Tick…Tick…TICK…”

As a music student, the sound of the metronome often made me think of this passage from Edgar Allan Poe’s, The Tell Tell-Tale Heart. “I felt that I must scream or die! — and now — again! — hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!”

Metronomes have changed significantly over the years. Classic ones gave way to digital ones that sometimes include a function to give you a tuning note or even double as a chromatic tuner.

These digital metronomes might also have lights to track the beat or have settings for time signature to give you a separate sound for the downbeat.

For a period of time there were metronomes that were as thin as a credit card and made the most irritating, high-pitched electronic beep.

Today you can get apps on your phone or smart watch that might have a haptic that gives you a brief buzz to allow you to “feel the beat.”

Despite the evolution of the device, there isn’t a musician alive who hasn’t at one point in their lives felt that steady ticking, beeping, blinking, buzzing, incessant thing wasn’t out to destroy their love of music.

Yet we continue to use them. Because they work.

Mastering the Beat: How To Work with A Metronome

Using a metronome is fairly simple. Dial the tempo you want, set it in motion, then try to not get ahead or fall behind the beat. Easy peasy.

Settings to keep track of the time signature, providing a strong down beat followed by the remainder of the measure in weaker beats can be helpful when practicing music, but is unnecessary for scale work and other basic exercise, and worthless for mixed meter.

Scale work is a great way to introduce the metronome. But as we mentioned previously, Scales and Technique are incredibly dull. At this point, students will have scales for lessons or auditions that are written in eighth or sixteenth notes. Regardless of how scales are written, start with the quarter note. Once you can track that quarter note with little to no deviation, change to eighth notes. Also, if you have headphones, set the metronome up to go through them but only into one ear.

What surprises most students about the metronome is that you’re not dialing your goal tempo when you first start using it. Instead, it’s important to set it at a tempo that meets you at your current level. This may be INCREDIBLY SLOW and feel discouraging. But remember, not only is that okay, but patience and kindness with yourself at this point is going to pay off tenfold as you work with your metronome.

Keep in mind that you are setting yourself up for organized repetition on whatever you’re working on. By carefully playing through the piece slowly you avoid programming unnecessary mistakes into your muscle memory. Just relax in that slow tempo.

Once you master playing at that speed, only move the dial up one to two notches. When you master that, move it up again, but ONLY one to two notches at a time. Don’t make huge leaps.

If something is desired at 120, but you can’t start any faster than 72, you’re likely ticking up your metronome at least 25 times to reach your goal. If you have to repeat it three to four times each time to get it perfect, by the time you have reached your goal you will have played it 75-100 times. Your fingers will thank you! Your confidence will be up! You are ready to perform!

Timing Is Everything: When To Use a Metronome

As we move along our musical journey there comes a time when a metronome is going to help a student with rhythm. But the readiness of a student for the metronome use varies greatly.

When you begin using a metronome, it is important to start with the same kind of simple exercises you learned as a beginner. Yet, the best time to start using them is once you’ve developed a basic amount of musical maturity.

By that we mean, you should know a little more than the basics and are beginning to understand the difference between lessons, practice, rehearsal, and performance. (No, your lesson does not count as practice. Neither does band class at school. Practice is what you do outside of those things. Performance is what all of these things lead towards.) You use your metronome with practice, and occasionally at your lessons.

I would not recommend using the metronome for all of your practice but targeted for very specific goals. A tricky passage in a solo or band piece, scale and technique work, the final push when trying to speed something up, etc.

A Musician’s Frenemy: When To Avoid Using a Metronome

At A Kopp Music, we very deliberately do not introduce students to metronomes until after they have been playing for a while. We want to see musical maturity, assess the learning style of the student, as well as observe how skittish a student is. If a student is naturally anxious, that metronome is not going to do them any favors.

Does that mean they will never use a metronome? Not necessarily. But we can push them towards steady, careful counting in other ways. There’s no reason to make a student twitchy.

A metronome should only be used once you know the notes and fingerings of a song, not before. That way the incessant clicking won’t distract you while you’re trying to focus on what note you’re supposed to play, or while you’re trying to figure out a complex rhythm.

Lastly, I would discourage using a metronome if you’re not in good headspace for one. You want to be well rested and in a good mood. Otherwise, it will just lead to frustration.

We can attest that the tiny, irritating squawk box is a terrible reason to have a bad day. Therefore, if upon looking at a metronome you feel something from your deepest core twist in revulsion, it’s ok. You haven’t failed. No one will think less of you for just saying “no.”

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Metronomes are nothing more than a tool, albeit a professional tool. They build one’s sense of patience, persistence, and timing.

Remember, playing something simple at a slow tempo with the metronome is not a regression. Some advanced students think that means they are not very good or that they should be able to do it much faster. But even an advanced player needs slow practice from time to time. And there’s nothing regressive or simple about that.

Do you have questions about metronomes use or techniques to help you with counting? Feel free to reach out to us! We’re happy to help!