How to Create Time with Your Metronome

By Anne Sullivan 

Most of us think of the metronome as a tool to help us keep a steady beat or to get a piece up to tempo. It pushes us to play faster or correct us when our rhythm is uneven. We struggle to stick with the click. No doubt the metronome is a very useful tool, but it’s not surprising that many of us don’t think of the metronome as our friend. 

But what if instead of giving you less time to put the right fingers on the right strings, the metronome helped you create more time. Impossible, you say? It’s not only possible, it’s a terrific way to use your metronome. 

First let’s make friends with your metronome. Turn it on and simply listen to it click.Find a tempo at which your metronome click makes you feel calm and relaxed. It’s like a medium tempo, something between 69 and 80, but find the tempo that makes you feel settled and calm. Remember that your body has its own tempo and its own steady pulse (you have a heartbeat, right?). 

Next turn your metronome up very fast. How does that make you feel? Stressed? Energized? Full of excitement?

Then dial the tempo way back until the metronome is so slow you can hardly predict when the next click is going to happen. How does that make you feel? Sleepy? Uneasy? Bored?

Then go back to your happy tempo. Now that you and your metronome are better acquainted, it’s time for your metronome to show you how to slow your harp playing down so you can practice the accuracy you want.

Why would you want to do this? Here are three good reasons:

1. Playing your scales or exercises at a slow, steady tempo will give you time to observe your fingers and check every detail of your technique as you play. It’s not enough to just play your exercises slowly. You want to be able to look, feel and listen to each finger to be sure it is playing properly. Also, you want the tempo to be steady to help your fingers develop reliable coordination.
2. Slowing down the tempo for practicing a difficult passage is important, as you know. Using the metronome to help keep you playing slowly and evenly is the best way to develop clarity and calm.  
3. The best way to put any passage or piece hands together is to learn to play both hands together at a consistent, even tempo. A slow tempo is great, but letting the metronome keep that slow beat steady and precise will help your hands coordinate with each other more accurately.

These three tips are all about creating time in order to create correctness. You may still need the metronome to help you achieve that faster tempo, but at least you will be working with a trusted friend.