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The 5 Best Effortlessly Easy Metronome Practice Tips - Metronome Face

The 5 Best Effortlessly Easy Metronome Practice Tips

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Estimated reading time 2 minutes

Table of Contents

Introduction

Do you want to know the best way to practice with a metronome? Do you want to know what a metronome even is? A metronome is one of the best practice tools invented for musicians, because it helps you play with a steady beat. Nothing will make you sound like a professional faster than playing with a steady beat, and nothing will make you sound terrible faster than playing with a choppy beat. Keep reading The 5 Best Effortlessly Easy Metronome Practice Tips to learn how to play with a steady beat.

This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.

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Easy Metronome Practice Tips #1: What’s a Metronome?

A metronome is a machine that makes a clicking sound at a regular rate. It’s used as an aid during practice to help you work your songs up to speed while maintaining a constant beat:

  • Originally, the clicking sound was produced by a mechanical device that was first marketed by Johann Maelzel at the beginning of the 19th century.
  • Now, in addition to mechanical versions, they also can be electronic devices or downloadable apps. For an online metronome: click here.
  • The rate of the clicking is adjustable and is measured in beats per minute (bpm), such as 60 bpm which is one beat per second.

Metronomes have a broad range of speeds, in some cases from 25 beats per minute to over 200 beats per minute, for example:

  • 50 bpm (tempo mark = largo) is a slow tempo.
  • 70 bpm (tempo mark = adagio) is medium slow.
  • 100 bpm (tempo mark = andante) is moderately fast.
  • 120 bpm (tempo mark = allegro) is fast.
  • 200+ bpm (tempo mark = presto) is very fast.
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Easy Metronome Practice Tips #2: The Five Best Tips

When practicing with the metronome, you need to prioritize accuracy over speed. The five best metronome practice tips are:

  1. Start slowly, somewhere around 40 to 60 beats per minute.
  2. Gradually increase your tempo in 5 bpm increments until you start making mistakes.
  3. Stop and practice at the tempo 5 bpm below where you stopped.
  4. Once you’ve got it, start increasing the tempo (stopping and correcting mistakes as necessary), until you’ve reached your target tempo.
  5. Pro Tip: Practice 5 to 10 bpm above your target tempo so that you’ll be extra comfortable at your target tempo when you perform.

If you want to play in a band or other ensemble, you must learn how to sync with the beat, and playing with a metronome will help you learn how to do that.

Final Thoughts on “The 5 Best Effortlessly Easy Metronome Practice Tips”

Takeaway points:

  1. Make sure your playing is accurate before you speed up.
  2. Nothing will make you sound like a professional faster than performing with a steady beat, and nothing will make you sound terrible faster than performing with a choppy beat.
  3. Start slowly and work up to your target tempo.

Have fun playing!

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