So you’ve heard you’re supposed to use a metronome, but how do you use it? Keep reading &/or watch today’s video for some tips!
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Did you know that my writing about the metronome was also published in the American Harp Journal “Teacher’s Corner” section? (And no, I don’t always take my own advice….haha!)
Metronome Tips
Break it Down
Break your piece down into small, manageable, sections. In the example I used, I broke it down into 2-measure chunks. You could absolutely break it down into smaller chunks, such as 1 measure, 1 beat, or even less, depending on the piece.
Start Slowly
Start off practicing the section you’ve chosen at a very slow speed. In the video, I start at a quarter note equals 60. In your practice, you can start at a different speed if appropriate. You can even start with the metronome clicking to the eighth note, sixteenth note, etc. instead of the quarter note.
(If that doesn’t make sense right now, don’t worry about it. Let me know in the comments if you’d like to see a video on that!)
Start With One Hand
I think it’s nice to start with left hand, since it tends to be the most awkward, but this is up to you.
Gradually Speed Up
As you play the excerpt correctly, gradually speed up. It’s a good rule of thumb to play the section correctly 3 times in a row before increasing the tempo. When you do increase the tempo, do so slightly. If you’re using a metronome with a dial, one click over is a good amount; if you’re using a metronome that you can change to a specific number, try speeding up by 2-3 (for example 60 up to 62 or 63).
Now The Other Hand
Repeat with the right hand (if you started with the left hand).
Then Hands Together
Start back at your original tempo (or slower) and repeat the process with hands together.
Keep Track
Keep track of your progress using the color printable metronome tracker on the freebies page (sign up for the email list for access)! (Watch for a black & white version in Friday’s post.)
Then I talk in the video about adding to the excerpt you practiced. Be sure to check back Friday for a continuation of this post!
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Barbara Fischer runs Fischarper, LLC and loves her job as a harpist and private music educator. She enjoys blogging about various aspects of the music field on fischarper.com/blog. For more music resources, check out the Fischarper store. Find out where you can find Barbara on the interwebs here. And you can sign up to receive Fischarper updates by joining the email list.