{"id":16963,"date":"2024-04-10T13:56:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T20:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=16963"},"modified":"2024-04-10T14:07:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T21:07:46","slug":"how-to-use-a-metronome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-use-a-metronome\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use a Metronome (And Make It Your Friend!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The metronome is kind of a dreaded tool among piano players. That clicking sound can be, well\u2026obnoxious. But metronomes can really, really make you become a better pianist! In this lesson, we\u2019ll teach you how to use a metronome to help you progress with as little frustration as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-is-a-metronome\">What is a metronome?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-use-a-metronome\">How to Use a Metronome<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712769053790\">Start SLOW<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712769159806\">Find your perfect tempo<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712769641826\">Gradually speed things up<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712769666693\">Try subdivisions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712774111518\">Try doubling<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712774989522\">Apply this to a song<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#howto-step-1712775437412\">How to use a metronome for other time signatures<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#more-ways-to-use-a-metronome\">More Ways to Use a Metronome<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Your Go-To Place for All Things Piano<\/b><\/h2><p>Get exclusive interviews, fascinating articles, and inspiring lessons delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><small><i>By signing up you\u2019ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don\u2019t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.<\/i><\/small><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-metronome\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>What is a metronome?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A metronome is a music practice tool that sounds a steady beat. This beat can be adjusted faster or slower based on the musician\u2019s preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/10100341\/metronome-on-alesis-1024x448.jpg\" alt=\"Metronome button on keyboard.\" class=\"wp-image-16964\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/10100341\/metronome-on-alesis-1024x448.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/10100341\/metronome-on-alesis-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/10100341\/metronome-on-alesis-768x336.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/10100341\/metronome-on-alesis.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Think you don\u2019t have a metronome? You probably do. Metronomes are so useful that you either already have one or you can easily find one for free. So, there&#8217;s no excuse not to use one\u2014ha!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Most digital keyboards<\/strong> have a built-in metronome. Look for it in yours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google<\/strong> offers a free metronome. Just google \u201cmetronome\u201d and it\u2019ll come up!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Several websites<\/strong> offer free online metronomes too. There\u2019s one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imusic-school.com\/en\/tools\/online-metronome\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metronomeonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.musicca.com\/metronome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Metronome apps<\/strong> are great for when you\u2019re offline. Look some up on your device\u2019s app store and pick one with a design you like.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to buy your own dedicated metronome, here\u2019s a pro tip: make sure you like the sound! Being stuck with an obnoxious click won\u2019t motivate you to practice, so shop carefully!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>The Pianote Wittner Metronome<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Introducing one of our favorite products ever: the branded Pianote metronome!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It looks so good, you\u2019ll <em>want <\/em>to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This metronome is a collaboration with Wittner, <em>the <\/em>prestige metronome maker. Hand-wound and battery-free, the precision German manufacturing will keep you playing in time for years to come. In fact, this product comes with a 2-year guarantee!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/shop\/metronome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GET YOURS TODAY<\/a><\/center>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome-645x1024.png\" alt=\"Red traditional metronome.\" class=\"wp-image-16055\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome-645x1024.png 645w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome-189x300.png 189w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome-768x1220.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome-967x1536.png 967w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/30133759\/pianote-metronome.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-use-a-metronome\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>How to Use a Metronome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-howto-block\"><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Start SLOW<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">People underestimate how hard staying true to a metronome can be. In fact, slower tempos can be trickier than fast ones!<br><br>So, set a tempo like 60bpm. Listen to the click and feel it in your body.\u00a0<br><br>Then, try playing a simple scale (in our video, I play G major) and match each click with each note. It\u2019s harder than it looks!<\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Find your perfect tempo<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">Now that we\u2019ve gotten to know our metronome, let\u2019s find our perfect practice tempo.<br><br>This is a tempo you\u2019re already comfortable with. See if you can play <em>without any mistakes<\/em> in this tempo. If you can\u2019t, that means you\u2019re going too fast! And be sure to practice with your hands together. That&#8217;s the real test.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Gradually speed things up<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">Once you can tackle one tempo <em>perfectly, <\/em>speed it up by 3-5bpm. Then get comfortable with that rhythm before moving up.<br><br>Be patient. It might feel like a slow process, but if you jump ahead and play at a tempo you\u2019re not ready for, it can be even more frustrating. So take your time.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Try subdivisions<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">Sometimes, playing two notes per beat can be easier than one note per beat.<br><br>So, try playing a scale in eighth notes, which means playing two notes per click. Then, try doubling that and play sixteenth notes. That&#8217;s four notes per click.<br><br>Another fun one to try is triplets. That&#8217;s <em>three<\/em> notes per click!<\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Try doubling<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">If playing four notes per click is tricky, you can try the reverse: double the metronome\u2019s tempo and play two notes per click.\u00a0<br><br>We\u2019re all different. Some of us will feel comfier this way. So, experiment and see what feels best for <em>you. <\/em>Your preference may even change depending on the song and\/or time signature!<\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">Apply this to a song<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">Now let\u2019s try applying our metronome skills to a song. Look at the time signature first. For example, if we\u2019re looking at Christian Petzold\u2019s \u201cMinuet in G Major\u201d (a classic), you\u2019ll see the time signature is 3\/4. This means there are three quarter notes per measure and a quarter note equals one beat.<br><br>Most sheet music will have a \u201csuggested tempo\u201d with a metronome marking in the top left corner. It&#8217;ll have a note value, an equal sign, and a number (eg. &#8220;145&#8221;). This means with every click at 145, you play one quarter note.<br><br>This will probably feel way too fast.<br><br>But don\u2019t panic. Slow it <em>way down<\/em> to a tempo you\u2019re comfortable with and then <em>gradually <\/em>work up to that suggested tempo.<br><\/div><\/div><div class=\"rank-math-howto-step\"><h3 class=\"rank-math-howto-title\">How to use a metronome for other time signatures<\/h3><div class=\"rank-math-howto-content\">Using a metronome for 4\/4 or 3\/4 is pretty straightforward, but what about a time signature like 6\/8?<br><br>Let\u2019s take <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/hallelujah-song-tutorial\/\">\u201cHallelu<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/hallelujah-song-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">j<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/hallelujah-song-tutorial\/\">ah.\u201d<\/a> It\u2019s in 6\/8. The rhythmic feel of this song is <strong>1<\/strong>-2-3, <strong>4<\/strong>-5-6 with a slight emphasis on the 1 and 4. So, we\u2019ll set our metronome so that we get a click on the 1 and the 4. A good tempo for this song is 60bpm.<br><br>Again, if this doesn\u2019t feel fantastic, you can multiply the metronome speed to 120 and play one note per click. Then, when that feels good, go back to 60 and play with those accented beats.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box-snippet\">\n<div class=\"shadow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div><i class=\"fas icon fa-piano\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-container\">\n<b>Pro-Tip:<\/b> This may be a little controversial, but I suggest you learn the song first. Add the metronome as soon as you can, but only after the notes feel at least a little comfortable under your fingers. This will cut down on stress!\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Tempo in Other Languages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Fancy tempo words are some of the first music terms you\u2019ll learn. Traditionally, many of these words are Italian, French, or German.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Tempo<\/th><th>Italian<\/th><th>German<\/th><th>French<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Slow<\/td><td>Largo<\/td><td>Langsam<\/td><td>Lent<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Moderate<\/td><td>Moderato<\/td><td>M\u00e4\u00dfig<\/td><td>Mod\u00e9r\u00e9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fast<\/td><td>Allegro<\/td><td>Schnell<\/td><td>Vite<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"more-ways-to-use-a-metronome\" style=\"font-size:32px\"><strong>More Ways to Use a Metronome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe it or not, metronomes aren\u2019t just for student musicians. The pros use them\u2026probably even more than us. More ways to use a metronome:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Practice improvising solos: <\/strong>Learning to improvise a piano solo can be tough because you may be tempted to go back and correct \u201cwrong\u201d notes. But if you practice with a metronome, it\u2019s like playing with a band: you have to keep things moving!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep the band together:<\/strong> It\u2019s easy to speed up or slow down even as a group. A metronome can keep everyone in the same pace, especially if you\u2019re missing a drummer. If you do have a drummer\u2014well, they\u2019re human and they can speed up or slow down too! It\u2019s why a lot of drummers listen to a click track during live performances\u2014they need a metronome to <em>be the metronome.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Record songs: <\/strong>This is another occasion when you want to use a metronome. Having a click track helps you sync parts together when you\u2019re recording a song.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope this lesson helps you become better friends with your metronome! Happy practicing \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The metronome is like your musical GPS. It keeps you on the right track and makes sure you get to your destination in perfect time.<\/p>\n<cite>Lisa Witt<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano With Real Teachers<\/b><\/h2><p>The best way to learn piano is with real teachers, but not everyone has the time and money for a private instructor. At Pianote, you can get real feedback from real experts\u2026all from the comfort of your own home. Explore our Method and community yourself with a free 7-day trial.<\/p><p><\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><p><\/p><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn to love your metronome! Here\u2019s how to use a metronome to become a better piano player&#8230;and not hate it in the process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[521,509],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-rhythm","category-technique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16963"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16986,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16963\/revisions\/16986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}