How to Use a Metronome
for Piano Practice

How to Use a Metronome when Practicing:

1. When you first begin your piano lessons, a metronome can be of help when learning about different note values.
   • Take a piece that you want to learn and look at the notes values and rests.

   • Set the metronome at a slow speed, 60-80 is good. The beats can represent quarter notes, so each quarter note gets one beat.

   • Practice the rhythms in the piece by pointing to each note/rest and count along, or clap the rhythm and count.

   Check out this virtual metronome:

   Practice how to use a metronome with this virtual copy. Start by "winding" it up, then change the tempo (the speed of the beat) either with the lever on the "arm" or to the right. Have fun!

   
   

   
   Tip: As you begin counting rhythm it is a good idea to use “Unit Counting”. This means that you count each note value for what it is worth, for example four quarters would be counted; 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 and a half note: 1 – 2 etc.

   Unit counting is great for beginners since you focus only on the length of each note instead of regular counting where you count the beats per measure. So it reinforces learning of note values and helps you sight-read music by keeping your attention ahead in the music.

   However, unit-counting only works when playing hands separately, or until you start using different rhythms in each hand, at that time you need to use "regular" counting, where you follow the time signature and count as many beats as it says per measure.

2. The most obvious use of a metronome is to check that the speed of the piece is accurate.

   In the top, usually left corner of the sheet music, you might see "Allegretto mm.120" for example. Allegretto is a moderately fast tempo, and the metronome count helps you to understand how fast exactly.

3. The metronome can be used as a tempo stabilizer.

   This is great when working for example with scales. You may believe that you play them nice and even, but make sure to test your playing with the metronome, and you will find the places where you slow down or speed up.

4. For pieces that you have learned the notes at a slow tempo and now need to speed up, the metronome is a necessity.

   Start with smaller parts of the piece and put the metronome at a comfortable and slow tempo; a tempo where you can play without any mistakes. As soon as you play through the part once without mistakes, increase the speed with one click.

   Gradually increasing the speed in such small increments is almost impossible to do without a metronome. In this way you are basically “tricking” yourself into playing faster and faster without stress and – of course – no mistakes.

5. The metronome can be used as a “test” device.

   Decide upon a goal for each practice session. For example that you can play your right hand perfectly, or a section of the piece hands together at a particular tempo with the metronome. This gives you a clearly defined goal that is also measurable, to work for.

   Since piano playing and practicing is very “qualitative” and can be difficult to measure regarding your success for each practice session, the metronome can function as a “measuring” stick to compare your progress with.

6. The most obvious “testing” is to play with the metronome when you think you have really learned a piece.

   You will find spots where you want to either slow down or speed up that you probably had no idea that you did!

   Of course, music should usually not be performed with a rhythm perfect as a metronome, phrases have “ebb and flow”, jumps and leaps are often supposed to take a little extra time, and depending on the style of music you play, rubato might be necessary, often ritardando and even sometimes accelerando.

   “Testing” with the metronome might help you find places that are not musically justified regarding tempo changes, but technically simply needs some extra practice... (Try to be unbiased)!

7. How to use a metronome when sight reading music:

   The metronome is great also to practice piano sight reading. By using short, easy melodies and setting the tempo very slow, you can train yourself to always look ahead in the score - it kind of "pushes you" to move along!

Related Pages:

• Note Values
• Improve Your Music Sight Reading
• How to Practice Piano Effectively

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