Metronome evil annoyance or helful tool?

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:52 pm

Yeah, I didn't say it clear enough.

arion · Post by **arion** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:55 pm

Eeehh. I actually like metronomes quite a lot. I've found that they are indispensable when working with those tricky, fast passages. While they certainly have their place in the world of things to throw against the wall, I couldn't live without mine. About the robotic thing...yes, I tend to use the metronome quite early on when I'm learning a piece, and then, once I have it technically down, I lay it aside and work stylistically.

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:06 pm

Yeah...basically that's what I said.
Metronome helps with the foundation, but it's best to (if you can) also add style while using the metronome.

musical_K · Post by **musical_K** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:30 am

I find the good old fashioned manual wind-up ones helpful occasionally if I am having real trouble with a difficult rhythm.
But those electronic ones that beep - GGGGGRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!

[/i]

liv4music · Post by **liv4music** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:50 pm

I find it very annoying, to the point that I can't keep a tempo when I'm using one.

atoriphile · Post by **atoriphile** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:28 pm

liv4music wrote:I find it very annoying, to the point that I can't keep a tempo when I'm using one.

Can you keep a tempo with a conductor or an accompanist? I have always thought of a metronome as a replacement for the conductor or accompanist so I can keep a steady tempo when practicing on my own.

If you're having trouble keeping the tempo when using a metronome, it usually means you have set the tempo too fast. Try slowing it down a couple notches until you can play along with the metronome, then increasing the tempo incrementally to get it back up to speed. You may not realize you are slowing down a technically difficult part until you practice it with a metronome and can't keep up!

MonikaFL · Post by **MonikaFL** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:37 pm

Meredith wrote:Every musician should learn and master the skill of playing an even beat before switching off their metronome and focusing on the more "musical things."

I completely agree!

Has anyone seen the movie "Shine"? There was a part where the piano teacher told his student, "You must learn the notes so you can forget the notes."

I love that quote. And I think it applies here. The metronome keeps us accountable when learning the notes and rhythms... then we switch it off, and we have this wonderful, confident, solid foundation from which we can express ourselves.

flutepicclover88 · Post by **flutepicclover88** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:41 pm

I love my metronome. It really helps when you are working on rhythms and such. I would use it or atleast try. You might just try to turn the volume down if you have that option.

TheScarecrow · Post by **TheScarecrow** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:19 pm

MonikaFL wrote: Has anyone seen the movie "Shine"? There was a part where the piano teacher told his student, "You must learn the notes so you can forget the notes."

I can't remember what movie this was, but this girl goes to a music college and finds out that while she has always sang pop music, everyone else there sings opera and classical.

Her instructor then tells her that, "You must learn the rules, before you can break them."

This also fits the situation. You must be able to play it in time with the metronome before you can turn it off and add your own style.

sidekicker · Post by **sidekicker** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:23 am

IMO, every musician should utilize a metronome during practice. Scales and arpeggios should always be done with a metronome, as well as many etudes that focus on technique. It helps one to check for evenness and is a wonderful tool, as others have said, for developing technical speed that is also even.

A tape recorder is also a very useful thing to have. You would be surprised how different you sound; things that may have sounded even and clean to you while playing are often exposed as less than that by a tape.

SK