metronome

[frank1]

? please and thanks in advance.  Ref the metronome:  Say I am playing a fairly slow song such as Butterfly Kisses.  If I set the metronome at a slow speed, what happens if a fast part of the song comes?  I am playing at say 60 and then a fast part of the song comes up.  If I stay with the metronome beat, I will be playing way too slowly at fast parts of songs.  I am SO confused.  I am teaching myself and probably about at level 3 or 4 but am so confused.  Also, the most asked question.  Do you think I should have a teacher?  I just get so bored going back and playing, for example:  Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall.  Thanks so very much.
Frank

[hastur]

Hello there Frank,

First I'd like to address your second question; Yes, you should definitely get a teacher as soon as you possibly can. It will help you immensely, and you'll make sure not to pick up bad habits from self-teaching.

As for your question about the metronome.. If the metronome is playing at 60 BPM in 4/4 tempo, every beat is equal to a crotchet, or fourth note. And as for your fast parts.. They usually consist of eighth and sixteenth notes.

1 Fourth Note = 2 Eighth Notes = 4 Sixteenth Notes

Which means that if you are playing eighth notes you play two notes per beat, and if you play sixteenth notes you play four notes per beat.

I hope this helps, and hope you find a good teacher soon!

Sincerely,
hastur

[drkilroy]

It may be as you posted, but I think the issue is that e.g. the first part is played Largo and the second Prestissimo. (I am exaggerating a bit. )

My advice is that you should play the parts separately with metronome fixed in proper tempo and when you will be able to play both without metronome, play them together.

Best regards, Dr

[nystul]

You can only use metronome to work on keeping a steady tempo in a section that is supposed to be steady.  Or to keep the subdivisions of the beats steady and even.  But to work on changing tempos, obviously you cannot use the metronome for that part of practice.

But I am also confused, because the Butterfly Kisses song I've heard on the radio years ago goes about 80-90 BPM and never has a significant tempo change.

[sucom]

I would split the piece into two sections to practise.  If you manage the slow part easily at 60, then keep the metronome at 60.  For the faster sections that you are struggling, change the speed of the metronome to a speed you can manage, with the aim to gradually speed it up so that you can eventually play the two sections at the same speed, using the correct tempo for the piece.

I would be a little wary of practising too much with a metronome because you don't want your playing to sound too mechanical.  Musical sound is an energy that has a natural movement.  Use the metronome to ensure you play the correct rhythm or to increase your speed, but after that, turn it off and allow the music to flow naturally.

[richard black]

Yeah, get rid of that metronome! Use it for a minute or two every day as a quick check.

[pmwpmw]

I'd like to say a word in defence of metronomes for practice. I have peformed the Chopin Etude in C Opus 10 no1 in public numerous times, including it in winning recital classes, and also my first public recital last November. I couldn't have mastered it without a metronome. I have developed a system. metronome practice is very beneficial, as most technical problems have a tempo or rythm problem underlying them. Barenboim commented in a recent masterclass that we always tend to go faster when a difficulty approaches! The opposite of what we should do. This is the great thing about metronome during practice - prof of pudding is in eating!