Get some rhythm and hold the blues – three great reasons to use a metronome

Whether you play only for fun or for the occasional paid gig, you want to play your best. One simple way to take your playing up a notch is to establish a consistent sense of rhythm, and there is no better way to do that than with a metronome.

Metronomes are not straightjackets; they are tools, and like many other tools in your musical toolchest, they are a very cheap investment in you and your lifetime enjoyment of music. Here are three things a metronome can help you do:

1. Develop a strong sense of tempo(s)

If you’ve practiced various pieces at a particular tempo – say, 100-120 Beats Per Minute (BPM) – you’ll be able to pick up a new piece of music with that tempo marking and know pretty well the desired tempo. This is a huge help when you’re sight-reading, but it comes in handy at other times, as well…like on the night of a performance when you’re distracted or have a really bad case of nerves. 

2. Be a better ensemble/section player

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point, but it has more to do with keeping the tempo rather than establishing it. As your group/section is playing along, it’s very easy to drag or rush, depending upon any number of factors…or even drag and rush in different sections, if you’re accustomed to hearing your favorite performer/group playing it that way. But what if your favorite artist’s version differs from someone else’s? Practicing occasionally with a metronome, especially when learning a new piece, can help you establish a consistent tempo. This doesn’t restrain you; it liberates you, because now you can choose when it’s appropriate to change tempos, rather than follow the dictates of “that’s how so-and-so plays it”!

3. Master your part

One of the key ways a metronome helps you as a musician isn’t physical; it’s mental. While all of us know that we can master difficult passages by practicing them at a slower tempo, then speeding them up once we’ve worked out the kinks, our own minds often work against us, especially on selections we’ve heard before (and perhaps even played in the past). Have you ever tried to slow down the Barber of Seville? It’s hard to slow Bugs Bunny down, isn’t it? 

Playing at a reduced tempo along with your metronome helps you start slow and finish slow…thus mastering that tricky passage more quickly than you might have otherwise. Once that is accomplished, a metronome allows you to increase the tempo gradually and retain the ground you just gained.

What we use

There are many good metronomes available, but we have two and can offer a few thoughts on them specifically.

If you like the look and operation of a “traditional metronome” – like the one your piano teacher or music director likely had when you were a kid – something like the Wittner mahogany metronome is a good choice. Tempo is set by sliding the weight up or down the pendulum, and the Wittner’s wind-up operation means never having to buy batteries. Well-crafted and beautiful, it’s both a metronome and a classy decoration for your home studio. Priced at around $100, it isn’t cheap…but it will likely last you a lifetime.

One of the best all-around metronomes money can buy, in my opinion, is the Korg KDM-2 Digital Metronome. It functions as a pitch tuner as well (providing a note to which to tune your instrument), but as you’d expect, it really shines as a metronome. It’s speaker can be heard over even a small group’s playing – you can use it with earphones, if you prefer – and it includes a flashing bulb on top for a visual cue as well. Tempo markings are on the front, and tempo can be set or adjusted via up/down buttons or a quick rotation of the large wheel on its face. You can even tap the button a few times to have it determine the tempo! And at less than half the price of the Wittner, it’s feature-packed and wallet-friendly. If I could only have one metronome, this would be the one.

Bottom line

Using a metronome helps you learn your parts better; it also helps you begin and play them more consistently. As a result, you’ll likely notice that it makes you a more respected member of any group(s) in which you play. There are few things more frustrating than trying to play with someone who can’t hold a tempo, and those who can “keep the beat” make playing that much more relaxed and enjoyable.

Break out your metronome tonight, or if you don’t have one yet, get one! You’ll be glad you did.

Keep playing,
Mark

Related Articles:

• Learning Tips for Better Playing
• Playing injured?
• THE Two Keys to Success in Music (and Life)!
• Can Videogames (Finally) Help You Play Better?
• Music training boosts learning

Seven low-pressure venues to improve your playing

As I mentioned in a previous article, one of the best ways to improve your playing quickly is to have to play. But regardless of where you are in your path as a Part-Time Musician (PTM), that can be a frightening thing. Here is some good news for you: it doesn’t have to be!

There are a number of venues that offer low-pressure opportunities for you to perform. Sure, you’ll likely get a few butterflies, but they can be more like those you get when being introduced to someone new rather than being interviewed on CNN.

Here are some low-key performance opportunities you may have overlooked.

Family

Your family is a built-in audience that is ideal for any level of PTM. If they live with you, they listen to you every day anyway; why not put on a small concert for them? Your extended family might like to hear what you’ve been telling them about for the past several weeks/months/years as well. Family will love you, even if you miss that one accidental that’s been giving you fits…and they often won’t even notice.

Church, religious gatherings

Your church or other religious institution is like an extended family, and they are similarly encouraging. Most worshipers appreciate the sincere effort as much as the music you’ll provide. Share your gift, and you’ll be surprised how much you “get back” as you give it.

Nursing homes, retirement facilities

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more appreciative audience than at a nursing or retirement home. Many residents can’t get out and about to see performances any more, and just as you and I would, they miss it. Some of my most treasured performance memories are our ensemble’s visits to a local nursing home and a Convent for retired/infirm Sisters.

Fairs, themed gatherings

If you enjoy playing music of a particular type (e.g. Celtic) or from a particular time period (medieval, early colonial, Civil War/WBS, etc.), you have some additional options available. These can be the lowest-pressure of all, especially if people can walk by as you play, stop for a bit to listen, then move on. In that type of environment, just being able to play a few tunes adds so much to the feel of an event…and even if you start the day struggling with a piece, you’ll probably have the kinks worked out after you’ve played it several times.

Pubs, restaurants

A friend of mine plays with a PTM Celtic group that performs at a local pub. Between playing as a group (vs. solo) and the ambient noise in the room, the pressure to perform “just so” is dramatically reduced…and once again, music that befits the location adds a great deal to the patrons’ enjoyment.

Libraries, community events

Our local library is always looking for people to give performances/demonstations of any kind and ability, from origami to poetry readings to music. If you know something about the music you’re playing, or if you are willing to show eager kids your instrument and the basics of how to play it, your library will hook you up! And there are few things as gratifying as lighting a spark of interest in music in the heart of a child. You’ll be smiling for days.

Schools

Like libraries, there are many low-pressure ways to “perform” at a school. If you can talk even a little about early American music, Scottish fiddle pieces, the role of the clarinet in jazz, or whatever your interest is – and play even basic musical examples – your local schools would love to hear from you.

Give it a try!

Audiences want you to do well. Think about it for a moment: do you ever go to a performance hoping the musician will make a mistake? Of course not. You want them to play well for all to enjoy. Your audience really is filled with people who want the best for you.

Performing, at any level, will make you better. It will also encourage you beyond your imagination. Give it a try, then share your experience with the rest of us by leaving a comment! We look forward to sharing in your victory.

Keep playing,

Mark

Related articles:

Advice for the adult violin student

Related Articles:

• Get some rhythm and hold the blues – three great reasons to use a metronome