If you are a violinist at ANY stage of learning, I can almost guarantee this is something that you've heard many times before. Using a metronome is a great practice technique if used in the correct way. If used improperly, it's just a frustrating clicky sound that will haunt your dreams. Kidding! Kind of.
In this article, I will explain how to best practice with a metronome to improve your rhythm skills and get fast progress on the piece you are practicing.
A metronome is a device (either mechanical, electronic, or online) that produces a steady pulse, using both aural and visual cues. The pulse is measured in BPM (Beats per Minute). For example, 60 BPM is essentially one beat per second, while 120 BPM is two beats per second.
I recommend using my free online metronome with subdivisions you can find right here.
When practicing, it is important to use the right practice techniques for the problem you're looking to solve. Practicing with a metronome is not going to help you with intonation, but it can help if you're having the following issues:
Beginning players need to first get comfortable playing simple rhythms with the metronome. If you've never used the metronome before (or are struggling to get started) here are some steps to follow.
I always recommend for beginners only focus on staying with the metronome when learning how to use it. If you're trying to stay with the metronome, plus working on your intonation, trying to make sure your bow is straight, and trying to keep your fingers close to the string, there are way too many things to think about and something is bound to fall by the wayside! These things are obviously important but should be addressed away from the metronome.
Subdividing is essentially dividing up each note into the smallest common denominator, thus making it easier to keep track of and count. Follow these steps to practice subdividing.
If you're looking to increase your general speed of a piece, here are the steps you need to follow to gradually work it up with the metronome.
First, recognize that gradually increasing your speed takes time. Depending on the difficulty of the piece, give it at least a few months before declaring that you've reached a plateau.
If you really can't go any faster, increase the speed by 10-20 BPM. I know it sounds crazy, but stay with me for a second. Play the section a few times at this new faster speed. It doesn't have to be perfect but aim to get through it. Then increase the speed again and repeat the process. Now, go back to the original, desired speed. It should seem much slower and more manageable.
The best way to increase your speed in runs is to practice rhythmical variations. The aim of this practice technique is to practice just a few notes at a time, but at a very quick speed, which will increase the overall speed at which you're able to play the run. Here are the steps to follow to practice in rhythmical variations:
Did you know that you can use a metronome to practice vibrato!? Yes, it's possible and extremely effective! Practicing vibrato with the metronome is a great way to practice the vibrato motion and make sure your vibrato is even. Follow these steps to practice vibrato with the metronome.
These rhythms are challenging because you have to play off of the beat (meaning that you are not going to be playing right with the click of the metronome.) However, when practicing along with this online metronome, you can simply choose these rhythms in the bottom right-hand corner and play exactly with the beats.
The most common tendency when practicing triplets is to rush. I like to call triplets "the lazy rhythm" to help remind students to evenly spread the three notes out over the beat. When faced with triplets in combinations of eighths and quarters, I recommend subdividing the triplet in your head.
Syncopations are difficult because you have to play off of the beat of the metronome (similar to dotted rhythms). Along with subdividing and using the built-in syncopation rhythms in this online metronome, I recommend listening to the piece as much as possible to internalize the rhythm.
There are several things that practicing with a metronome can help with. They include but are not limited to:
In short, it is one more thing to add to the long list of things to worry about during practice. A metronome shows no mercy, which can make it an incredibly difficult practice partner. Overall, the metronome is a practice tool that should enhance your practice, not leave you miserable. If you can get through the initial challenges of learning how to most effectively use it, then the metronome truly can become a great tool to add to your practice toolkit.
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