Learning to Love the Metronome

Okay, let me rephrase that. How about learning to "appreciate" the metronome? Because, let's face it - I don't love my metronome. The two of us sort of have this grudge match going on. I'm convinced my metronome just wants to annoy me, but grudgingly admit that it has a purpose and, even more grudgingly, that I am in need of that purpose. Having someone tell you they followed you all around a particular tune (ahem) isn't exactly a compliment.

Metronomes quickly make you realize just how unreliable your internal clock really is. When you check yourself against a metronome you will find that you invariably speed up in some parts of a tune (usually those you are very comfortable with) and slow down in others (the challenging spots).

In practice, I have found that the best method for me to bring my "unruly internal clock" back in line is to set the metronome for a speed slightly slower than I normally play the aforementioned "challenging" spots of a tune, thereby forcing myself to "slow down" the easier parts back to proper tempo. Once I am comfortable working at this pace (and have been able to resist the urge to rush the easier parts), I reset my tempo a couple of beats per minute faster and work through it a few more times. I repeat this process until I can reliably play the more challenging parts at the correct tempo while still not rushing the easier parts. Not exciting by any means, but "grudgingly" effective.

Metronomes have come a long way since the mysterious pyramidal box on top of your grandmother's piano. (However, that's not to say that the old-fashioned standard is ready for the museum. If you spend any time at all reading online reviews of various electronic versus mechanical metronomes you'll find that modern isn't always better.) There are simply a ton more options out there with multiple feature sets. With all these choices, finding the right one for you can be a bit tricky.

Thankfully, the Internet comes to the rescue yet again. There are several free online metronomes each just a bit different than the other. I recommend experimenting with each of them to find the feature sets which are most important to you. Perhaps you will even discover that a free, online metronome site is all you need - particularly if you have a portable web source like an iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.

Here are a few of the sites that I located with a simple Google query for "online metronome":

• Metronome Online 
• webMetronome 
• The Seventh String Metronome 
• Free Metronome Online 
• Metronome

Some of the features to consider before purchasing any metronome are:

• Volume Control - Some metronomes are too quiet and you can't hear them once you start playing. Others are too noisy to the point of annoying and end up only distracting you. You want to be able to find the volume that is right for you and your particular instrument.
• Time Signatures/Accent Notes - Having a metronome that is capable of counting out the most common time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) via a different or louder sound rather than just straight clicking is helpful (1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3). Even better, the ability of the device to place some kind of emphasis on a particular beat (not just the first beat) makes following the metronome much, much easier (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4).
• Light or Visual Response - Sometimes it is easier to follow a visual stimuli to keep yourself in time. Mechanical metronomes rely on the swinging pendulum, while digital rely on either a flashing light (usually red) or a digital LED pendulum indicator.
• Mute and/or Headphone Jack - Not everyone wants to hear the clicking. If you're not the one practicing, it can seem more like water torture and as stated above, sometimes a visual is better than sound. Having the option to turn the sound off is a lifesaver (or relationship saver, lol). Keeping the sound to yourself via a headphone jack is also nice and can make concentrating on following the metronome easier.

So, if you tend to "meander" through a tune from time to time, please consider my nemesis, the metronome. It's not nearly as nefarious (lol) or difficult as you might think and although it's not at all glamorous, a metronome will "repair" that internal clock of yours and make you once again, able to "play well with others!"