A metronome is a useful tool that allows you to practice not only the piano but also any musical instrument more fun and effectively.
You can specify the number of times per minute to have the sound ring at a stable interval. By using a metronome, you can practice playing your instrument rhythmically.
As a result, you will be able to acquire a sense of rhythm, and you will be able to efficiently improve your playing on that instrument. You will also be able to perform smoothly with other instruments such as a band or piano duet.
Although you can acquire the skill of playing at a constant tempo and rhythmically without a metronome, you can practice more efficiently with a metronome , so this time I will introduce a metronome and how to practice using it.
table of contents
History of metronome
First of all, let me briefly explain the history of the metronome.
This is just trivia, so feel free to skip it.
You can choose the number of metronome sounds per minute.
In other words, it would have been impossible to create it without knowing exactly what one minute was.
The history of clocks can be traced back to BC, but the metronome was created after pendulum-shaped clocks (clocks with a pendulum at the bottom, similar to those in "The Big Old Clock") were created.
The modern metronome is based on this pendulum-shaped clock and uses a weight attached to the top of the pendulum to adjust the speed of the pendulum.
The first person to use the metronome in its current form was the famous Beethoven. Beethoven was deaf in his later years. Although he was deaf, he relied on the vibrations of a metronome to compose his songs in order to accurately grasp the rhythm.
This led to other musicians using metronome as well.
Introduction of metronome
When you first use a metronome, you only need to hear a few different tempos Listen and remember that the lower the metronome number, the slower the tempo, and the higher the number, the faster the tempo.
After listening to it a few times, clap or stomp your foot according to the ticking timing. Once you can maintain the tempo by clapping or tapping, play one note on the piano to the metronome, one note for each tick. It can be difficult to maintain a steady rhythm, so be patient and try again and again.
Try practicing using a metronome
The metronome does more than just develop your body's sense of rhythm. When playing the piano, this leads to finger training .
No matter how well your brain understands the rhythm and tempo, it's meaningless if your finger muscles can't keep up.
First, let's try playing a simple song using the metronome.
As you play, be aware of not only whether you can press the keys in accordance with the rhythm, but also whether you can release the keys in accordance with the rhythm.
Beginners tend to focus only on the action of pressing the keys to produce the sound. Unfortunately, the major difference between a beginner's performance and a professional's performance is the connection between the sounds. Use a metronome to get the timing right before releasing the keys.
When you get tired of practicing with a metronome
Practicing with a metronome can feel very monotonous, and it is one of the exercises that children, especially, get bored of quickly.
In such cases, create rules that give you carrots and sticks and add variety to your practice .
for example,
- +20 of the reference tempo is the upper limit tempo value, and -20 is the lower limit tempo value.
- Start at the standard tempo, and every time you make a mistake while playing, lower the metronome's tempo by 5.
- If you can play without making any mistakes, increase the tempo by 5.
- Clear if you can play at the upper limit tempo 3 times without making mistakes
These are the rules.
Of course, set upper and lower limits for the tempo.
If the tempo is too fast or too slow, it will actually be difficult to play and you will end up wasting your time.
Try setting the upper and lower limits within a range that allows you to enjoy playing.
By varying your practice like this, you can refresh your brain and reduce boredom.
By repeating this kind of practice, your brain and hands will naturally learn the sense of rhythm.
Let's all make some rules and have fun practicing.
lastly
It takes a long time to practice to acquire a sense of rhythm and be able to play at a good tempo. However, this is a barrier that cannot be avoided when playing the piano.
But this is well worth the practice time.
Not only will it reduce the amount of time it takes to master the first song you practice, but it will also allow you to smoothly match the instruments and voices played by others.
By using a metronome, you can shorten the time it takes to practice.
Leave a Comment