• What Is The Difference Between A Digital And Mechanical Metronome Youtube

By Mason Hoberg

As with all metronomes I don't recommend playing with the metronome on all the time, no matter which metronome you use. It is important for us as musicians to develop an internal metronome and allow the music to flow and breath - which means allowing the 'human factor' of small differences of tempo to be present.

Tired of being unable to stay in time with your jam buddies or band? Well my friend, it’s time to break out the metronome. Once you get the hand of it, using a metronome will transform both your sense of rhythm and your overall technique as a musician.

The only downside is that it’s so dang hard to figure out how to choose the best metronome. There’s a ton of different models available, and if you don’t already know what you’re looking for it can be almost impossible to know which is going to work best for you.

If you’ve ever had a hard time figuring out how to choose a metronome, you’ve come to the right place. This article will give you all the information that you need to make an informed decision, as well as give you five great recommendations to help aid you in your search.

• Top 5 Metronomes

What Is A Metronome?

A metronome is a device that makes a noise at a set tempo, generally a click or beep. This allows you to practice time based exercises against a steady tempo.

Interestingly, the metronome is actually a pretty recent invention. Well, recent as far as music goes anyway. The metronome was patented in 1815 by Johann Maelzel, though it’s debated as to whether or not Maelzel pulled an Edison and stole the design from Dietrik Nikolaus Winkel.

The device was quickly adopted by professional musicians the world over. Ludwig van Beethoven was actually the first notable composer to start incorporating metronome markings (generally referred to as beats per minute) in his work, having started to do so in roughly 1817.

How Should I Practice With A Metronome?

The metronome is kind of a controversial device. Some musicians feel that using one will lead to playing that sound mechanical or boring, while others feel that it’s the only surefire way to help a musician develop a good sense of rhythm.

The thing is, they’re both right and they’re both wrong. A metronome is just a tool, and the results that you get from it are going to depend on how you use it. A metronome isn’t going to make your playing sound stale or uninspired if you use it correctly, and a metronome also isn’t going to automatically transform your playing if you’re not utilizing it in a productive way.

So how do you use a metronome the right way? Well, there’s some debate to that in all honesty. However, a good place to start is practicing scales and exercises in time with the metronome. When you get bored of doing it in quarter notes, try breaking into eighth notes or triplets. Also, make sure you start at a low tempo like 60 or 70 BPM.

When you’re starting out, you only want to use the metronome for boring or mechanical things. The reason for this is that it gives you an idea of how it feels to play more complicated rhythmic figures, without interfering with your ability to stay locked into group when you’re playing things that sound more musical. Because humans aren’t perfect, we do not play in anything that even resembles perfectly even time. A metronome is just to help train your brain to interact with a rhythmic center. This does translate into better performance when you go to play with a band, but you’re still going to have to get used playing with other musicians. And unfortunately, the only way to do this is through practice.

Metronomes are available online for free, but virtual metronomes aren’t really as good for you as a musician.

The reason for this is that a computer or phone is a distraction. It’s hard to be constructive when you’re phone is in front of you constantly. The same thing goes for the computer. There’s nothing wrong with either of those devices, they’ll just hinder your practice. A physical metronome is great because it helps you get into the zone. It’s just you, your guitar, and a little box that’s clicking at you.

The Top 5 Metronomes

Korg TM50 Instrument Tuner and Metronome

Korg was founded with one driving principle: making high quality digital instruments and accessories a viable option for gigging musicians. Something that many musicians don’t appreciate is that digital accessories and equipment have grown by leaps and bounds both in regard to the fidelity of sound they’re capable of as well as they’re overall affordability.

Case in point, Korg itself was actually founded because Tadashi Osani (a notable performing musician in his local Japan) was dissatisfied with the Wurlitzer Sideman rhythm machine he used to supplement his gigs. The company’s first device, the Disc Rotary Electric Auto Rhythm maching Donca-matic DA-20, was both a solution to the problem faced by Osani as well as the company’s first step towards the legacy they’ve established in the present day.

A great example of the company’s commitment to quality and affordability is the Korg TM50BK Instrument Tuner and Metronome, which boasts an impressive amount of utility for any musician at a price that is easily justifiable for the vast majority of us.

The most notable thing about this metronome is that it produces an audible tone when the metronome function is used, as opposed to providing solely visual feedback. The important thing about this is that having auditory feedback helps to increase your sense of timing because once you learn to feel the various divisions of rhythm (triplets, eighth notes, quarter notes, etc.) it gives a feeling more similar to practicing with a band. The only flaw here is that the metronome uses a “beep” as opposed to the more standard percussive noise you generally find with a metronome. The device also has 15 rhythm variations housed within the unit, which increases its overall amount of flexibility.

The detection range of the tuner spans from C1 to C8, so odds are you’re going to be able to tune just about any instrument with this tuner. The device uses a backlit LCD display, which is great for outdoor applications. It still suffers from glare like any other screen, but not to the point where you’ll be unable to read the tuner.

An interesting feature of the Korg is TM-50 is that it features a “sound back” design. The sound back design allows you to play a tone in the same octave as what you’re trying to tune to. This helps to hone your sense of pitch because it allows you to practice matching a pitch by ear, which is incredibly valuable practice to any beginning musician.

The main flaw in this design is that it’s difficult to tune in noisy settings because the tuner uses a mic as opposed to picking up vibrations on a headstock (like what a Snark does). However, it’s just as accurate and rugged as any other tuner, and it’s also going to have a larger life span due to not utilizing watch batteries. For its price range it’s a quality option in both the features available and its durability.

Lastly, the tuner is also reported to have a longevity that surpasses that of the ever popular clip on design. There aren’t really any moving parts to be break, so you won’t have to worry it’s going to break if you throw it into a case or gig bag.

A great option for musicians looking for both a solid tuner and a powerful metronome, the Korg TM50 Instrument Tuner and Metronome is a great addition to any musicians collection of musical accessories. Just be sure to keep in mind that unlike tuners which read pitch based on vibration this tuner actually tunes via the sound outputted by your instrument, making it less ideal for noisy circumstances.

Seiko SQ50-V Quartz Metronome

Unlike a lot of companies that produce musical equipment and accessories, Seiko metronomes are a logical division of a company which has previously established itself in a different niche. The company can trace its roots back to 1881, when its founder Kintaro Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop in Tokyo. Sometime after this he used to experience and technical knowledge he honed running the shop to launch his own line of watches, starting production in 1924. The company actually launched the first widely produced quartz watch, which had a price similar to that of a mid-range car from the period.

The companies experience with watch making leads one to believe that the metronomes they produce are going to be engineered with a base of knowledge that other companies aren’t going to have because they were established to perform a different function. Unsurprisingly, this does in fact turn out to be the case with the Seiko SQ50-V Quartz Metronome, a device which combines minimalist simplicity with a rugged exterior which makes it a great choice for musicians in a wide variety of different situations. To learn more about how it stacks up to the competition, check out the sections below.

The most important thing to keep in mind with this metronome is that it’s intended to be a practice tool that doesn’t distract the musicians using it by being overly complicated. It’s intended to get you right into practicing, with minimal adjustments and/or tweaking necessary.

The tuner has a few different options for musicians. It has an onboard volume control so that you can get auditory feedback at a variety of different volumes, as well as a visual indicator in case that happens to be your preference. For louder instruments, like banjos or violins, the metronome also comes with a headphone jack. While the headphone jack is going to be helpful in some cases, it’s going to be a blessing for those around you. Practicing with a metronome is a bit like a musician’s equivalent of eating your vegetables, but while it’s incredibly helpful for your development with your instrument it can be a bit trying for those around you to listen to.

The metronome has two different sounds available, the trademark percussive tone you generally hear in a metronome as well as a digital beep. However, do keep in mind that you cannot set the metronome to have a different tone on the downbeats.

Lastly, the unit itself is pretty petite. It measure in at roughly 5” by 2”, which is going to be a nice feature if you plan on transporting it frequently. This is going to be especially handy if you live in a dorm and spend the majority of your practice sessions inside a communal practice room. The unit is powered by a standard 9-volt battery.

The device is very functional, though it emphasizes durability and accuracy over features. Your opinion on the metronome is largely going to depend on what exactly it is your looking for. Most musicians aren’t really going to need some of the more exotic features you find on more expensive metronomes because a standard rhythmically even tone is generally well suited to just about everyone’s needs, but with that being said if that is what you’re looking for you would probably be better off looking elsewhere.

The Seiko SQ50-V Quartz Metronome is a great option for any musician looking for a bare bones metronome that they can count on and easily transport.

BOSS DB-90 Metronome

A division of the venerable Roland corporation, BOSS produces what are arguably the most widespread and sonically diverse line of pedals currently available. Their lineup combines intuitive controls, rugged durability, and affordability into a package that makes their products a viable option for just about any musician; professional or not.

Every product produced by Boss definitely benefits from the experience of its mother corporation Roland, who has produced some of the highest received digital effects ever. The company was actually spun off from Roland with the sole intention of creating guitar pedals for the average musician, and since its inception it has never compromised its ethos.

A perfect example of the functionality and durability inherent to Boss products, the BOSS DB-90 is easily one of the most advance commercially viable metronomes currently available. To learn more about this product and what it can do for you, check out the specifications below.

The important thing to know about this metronome is that it’s intended to be a platform used for a wide array of different situations as well as a platform for complex rhythmic practice. As such, because of the features and the digital components they require it’s going to be more expensive than your run of the mill metronome. Those of you just getting into playing guitar likely aren’t going to benefit from this feature set overly much, but it does have options that a more advanced musician may appreciate.

The BOSS DB-90 has four different voices for keeping time, including a vocal track. This may be helpful to some of you, because it mirrors the feeling you get when you count time on your own. In addition to this, you can also program in your own beats and samples. The utility hear is that you can create rhythmic exercises that will aid you in developing the chops to play in more obscure or technically challenging time signatures. It also includes reference tone functionality for tuning your instrument, which while the majority of you are likely going to use a digital tuner it is still a thoughtful inclusion.

For those of you attracted to the option to program your own beats, the DB-90 features 90 slots for presets. Compared to the DB-88, which only included the space for 8 presets, this is a staggering amount of available space.

The more complex features of the DB-90 can almost approximate the feeling of playing with a drummer, which is going to be incredibly helpful to a lot of you who’ve never had the opportunity to play with a band. It’s a good way to learn how to play independently of the rhythm for others, and is likely to go a long way in supporting your personal development as a musician.

Another important thing to keep in mind is this thing is built like a tank, which isn’t a surprise considering that BOSS is arguably the standard against which other pedals are judged in regards to durability. The BOSS DB-90 is easily one of the most feature rich metronomes currently available, and while it’s more expensive than many of its contemporaries the flexibility it provides results in a unit that is very reasonably priced.

KLIQ MetroPitch

Like many great lines of products, KLIQ was born out of the market not meeting the needs of musicians. In particular, in KLIQ’s case a band of NYC musicians found themselves growing dissatisfied with the accuracy of your run of the mill clip on tuner. Now for most applications a clip on tuner is going to be very serviceable (for example, they’re a pretty popular component in a substantial amount of gigging musician’s rigs as shown by Premier Guitar’s Rig Rundown series) but they do have a +/-5 cent (the system which measures pitch) variance in most cases. This isn’t going to be readily apparent in most live applications (non-musicians generally don’t start to hear a tone as out of pitch until it’s +/-20 cents off) but it can be incredibly distracting in the studio.

To alleviate this concern, KLIQ set out to create a line of cheap instrument accessories (tuners in addition to other products) which would be affordable for most gigging musicians while still being durable enough to hold up to the rigors of touring and regular performance.

A great example of KLIQ’s ethos is the KLIQ MetroPitch, a metronome and tuner hybrid which offers a pretty substantial amount of features and utility for the majority of musicians. To learn more about how it compares to the competition, check out the specifications below.

The key thing to note about this tuner is that it has an accuracy of +/- 1 cent, making it a great fit for situations where an accurate pitch is required. This is why it’s more expensive than say a Snark, because it requires extra power and a more careful design in order to guarantee this level of accuracy.

The tuning range of the product is between A0 and C8, which ensures that just about any instrument will be recognized with the tuner. It also comes with a “flat” tuning mode, allowing you to tune a guitar to a non-concert tuning. It also comes with four different tuning modes: Guitar, bass, violin, ukulele, and chromatic. The chromatic mode covers every instrument that doesn’t have a mode listed above, so while brass, woodwind, and different string instruments don’t have their own exclusive settings they can still be accurately tuned with this device.

The onboard metronome is also relatively flexible for a device of this price, allowing for fifteen different time signatures. The unit houses a built in speaker and an onboard volume control. The only thing to note in regards to the metronome is that it doesn’t have polyrhythm functionality, so you can only play one rhythm simultaneously.

Considering the features and price point there isn’t anything lacking with this tuner/metronome unit. Judging by the features it is a great value, combining a quality tuner and metronome for a price where it would be difficult to find a good example of either product (let alone one that combines great examples of both into one unit).

Lastly, this tuner also has a three year guarantee from the manufacturer. This is really impressive for an electronic in this price range, because it does a lot to show their faith in the accessories that they produce. Just keep in mind that the standard warranty limitations apply, so while it's covered for manufacturer error it’ll still be on you to replace should you choose to modify any of its components.

The KLIQ MetroPitch is a great bargain for any musician who needs both a reliable tuner and a powerful metronome. For the price you definitely can’t go wrong if accuracy is a primary concern, however for anyone who spends the majority of their time playing at home or jamming with friends there’s not going to be a huge difference in performance between this tuner and a cheaper Snark or Korg headstock tuner.

Cherub Metronome WSM-330

A company with humble roots, Cherub has gone on to become one of the most notable names in musical accessories currently operating. Cherub is actually the brainchild of two engineers with a strong work ethic and a powerful entrepreneurial spirit who, after founding the company in 1998, have gone on to produce a staggering array of different products. The first device they launched was a digital tuner, though they’ve quickly gone on the market accessories included but not limited to: metronomes, tuners, metro-tuners, tone generators, pickups, sustain pedals, digital drums pads, and pedal effects.

The company also has a very wide reach, serving more than 100 countries all around the world. Unlike companies who’ve had decades to establish themselves, Cherub understands that in order to compete in today’s marketplace they have to focus on providing quality products and always making sure to listen to their customers.

A perfect example of the company’s ethos is the Cherub WSM-330 Mechanical Metronome, which is both affordable and provides a great throwback to the mechanical metronomes of yesteryear.

The first thing to keep in mind with this metronome is that it’s all mechanical, and as such isn’t going to have the features you’d find in a digital product such as polyrhythms or an array of different beats or voices. While this isn’t necessarily a flaw it does mean that those of you who require more advanced functionality with a metronome are likely going to be better off looking elsewhere.

With that being said, this metronome is just as useable to the average musician as any. It’s available tempos span from 40-208 bpm, giving a range that’s wide enough for just about any application. To put this in perspective, the world’s fastest guitar player tops out at around 300 bpm. So assuming you’re using this to practice odds are you’re not really going to need to go any higher than the unit’s cap of 208 bpm.

The unit also has a traditional demonstration of beat in the form of a wood block chip, which gives the traditional percussive click the metronome is known for. Because it’s mechanical it also doesn’t require a battery, which will be a plus for those of you looking for a no-fuss metronome. It’s powered through winding the mechanism, much like a pre-battery watch.

What Is The Difference Between A Digital And Mechanical Metronome Youtube

The Cherub bills itself as having a top-grade metal mechanism, which while this can mean a variety of different things because the terminology used is a bit vague you can rest assured that the unit is made of durable enough materials that you won’t have to worry about it quickly breaking down from regular use. The tempo tolerance is also stated to be within 1%, which essentially means that the beat to beat variation is never going to exceed 1% in either direction (fast or slow). This is such an imperceptible difference that the majority of you will be very unlikely to notice it whatsoever.

While it’s not as feature rich as a digital metronome it does function well for its intended purpose and has an aesthetic appeal that’s lacking in digital units. It’s both a functional accessory and a great display piece for a musical household, which while this isn’t going to make a difference to the majority of you is still a nice feature to be included.

The only thing you really need to be aware of is that because it’s a mechanical device you to have to be more careful with it than you would with a digital metronome in a plastic chassis. The Cherub WSM-330 Metronome is a great value for the musician looking for a solid metronome with a distinct aesthetic appeal.

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A metronome, from ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, 'measure') and νέμω (némo, 'I manage', 'I lead'), is a device that produces an audible click or other sound at a regular interval that can be set by the user, typically in beats per minute (BPM). Musicians use the device to practice playing to a regular pulse. Metronomes typically include synchronized visual motion (e.g., swinging pendulum or blinking lights).

A kind of metronome was among the inventions of Andalusian polymath Abbas ibn Firnas (810–887). In 1815, Johann Maelzel patented it as a tool for musicians, under the title 'Instrument/Machine for the Improvement of all Musical Performance, called Metronome'.^[1]

Musicians practice with metronomes to improve their timing, especially the ability to stick to a tempo. Metronome practice helps internalize a clear sense of timing and tempo. Composers often use a metronome as a standard tempo reference—and may play or sing their work to the metronome to derive beats per minute if they want to indicate that in a composition.

When interpreting emotion and other qualities in music, performers seldom play exactly on every beat. Typically, every beat of a musically expressive performance does not align exactly with each click of a metronome.^[2][3][4] This has led some musicians to criticize use of a metronome, because metronome time is different from musical time.^[5] Some go as far as to suggest that musicians should not use metronomes at all, and have leveled criticism at metronome markings as well.

• 5Types of metronomes
  • 5.3Software metronomes
• 7Views on the metronome
  • 7.3Criticism of metronome use
• 8Metronome technique

Etymology[edit]

The word metronome first appeared in English c. 1815 ^[6] and is Greek in origin: metron 'measure' and nomos 'regulating, law'.

History[edit]

According to Lynn Townsend White, Jr., the Andalusianinventor, Abbas Ibn Firnas (810–887), made an attempt at creating a metronome.^[7]

Galileo Galilei first studied and discovered concepts involving the pendulum in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In 1696, Etienne Loulié first successfully used an adjustable pendulum to make the first mechanical metronome—however, his design produced no sound, and did not have an escapement to keep the pendulum in motion.^[8] To get the correct pulse with this kind of visual device, the musician watches the pendulum as if watching a conductor's baton.

The more familiar mechanical musical chronometer was invented by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel in Amsterdam in 1814. Through questionable practice,^[9]Johann Maelzel, incorporating Winkel's ideas, added a scale, called it a metronome and started manufacturing the metronome under his own name in 1816: 'Maelzel's Metronome.' The original text of Maelzel's patent in England (1815) can be downloaded.^[1]

Ludwig van Beethoven was perhaps the first notable composer to indicate specific metronome markings in his music. This was done in 1817.^[10]

Usage[edit]

Musicians practice playing to metronomes to develop and maintain a sense of timing and tempo. For example, a musician fighting a tendency to speed up might play a phrase repeatedly while slightly slowing the BPM setting each time. Even pieces that do not require a strictly constant tempo (such as with rubato) sometimes provide a BPM marking to indicate the general tempo.

Tempo is almost always measured in beats per minute (BPM). A metronome's tempo typically is adjustable from 40 to 208 BPM. Another mark that denotes tempo is M.M. (or MM), or Mälzel's Metronome. The notation M.M. is often followed by a note value and a number that indicates the tempo, as in M.M. ♩ = 60.Specific uses include:

• Learning to play tempos and beats consistently
• Practising technique (setting the metronome progressively to higher speeds or to expose slow-downs due to technical challenges)
• Click tracks that recording musicians use to help audio-engineers synchronize audio tracks
• To maintain desired cadence in different physiological laboratory based tests^[11]

Standard appearance[edit]

Metronome makers typically mark the speed adjustment for these common tempos:

• 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 63 66 69 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100 104 108 112 116 120 126 132 138 144 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 ^[12]

Tempos can be expressed by a number (beats per minute or BPM) or through a tempo marking. A tempo marking is a term that conveys a narrow range of tempos and an associated character. For example, the term Vivace can indicate a tempo between 156 and 176 BPM, but it also communicates that the music should be played with a lively character. Metronomes will often include both BPM and tempo markings.^[13]

Types of metronomes[edit]

Mechanical metronomes[edit]

A mechanical metronome uses an adjustable weight on the end of an inverted pendulum rod to control tempo. The weight slides up the pendulum rod to decrease tempo, or down to increase tempo. (This mechanism is also called a double-weighted pendulum, because there is a second, fixed weight on the other side of the pendulum pivot, inside the metronome case.) The pendulum swings back and forth in tempo, while a mechanism inside the metronome produces a clicking sound with each oscillation. Mechanical metronomes don't need a battery, but run from a spring-wound clockwork escapement.

Electronic metronomes[edit]

Most modern metronomes are electronic and use a quartz crystal to maintain accuracy, comparable to those used in wristwatches. The simplest electronic metronomes have a dial or buttons to control the tempo; some also produce tuning notes, usually around the range of A440 (440 hertz). Sophisticated metronomes can produce two or more distinct sounds. Tones can differ in pitch, volume, and/or timbre to demarcate downbeats from other beats, as well as compound and complextime signatures.

Many electronic musical keyboards have built-in metronome functions.

Software metronomes[edit]

Software metronomes run either as stand-alone applications on computers and smart phones,^[14] or in music sequencing and audio multitrack software packages. In recording studio applications, such as film scoring, a software metronome may provide a click track to synchronize musicians.

Metronome applications and click tracks[edit]

Users of iPods and other portable MP3 players can use prerecorded MP3 metronome click tracks, which can use different sounds and samples instead of just the regular metronome beep. Users of smartphones can install a wide range of metronome applications. The Google search engine includes an interactive metronome that can play between 40 and 218 BPM.^[15] Either method avoids the need to bring a physical metronome along to lessons or practice sessions.

Use of the metronome as an instrument[edit]

Perhaps the most famous, and most direct, use of the metronome as an instrument is György Ligeti's 1962 composition, Poème Symphonique for 100 metronomes. Two years earlier, Toshi Ichiyanagi wrote Music for Electric Metronomes. Maurice Ravel used three metronomes at different speeds for the opening of his opera L'heure espagnole (1911).^[16]

The clicking sounds of mechanical metronomes have sometimes been used to provide a soft rhythm track without using any percussion. Paul McCartney did this on 'Distractions' (Flowers in the Dirt). Following the metronome, McCartney performed a rhythm track by hitting various parts of his body.^[17] Also, in Ennio Morricone's theme 'Farewell to Cheyenne' (featured on Once Upon a Time in the West), the steady clip-clop beat is provided by the deliberately distorted and slowed-down sound of a mechanical metronome.^[18]

William Kentridge's 'The Refusal of Time' (2012) features five metronomes in the video installation.^[19]

Views on the metronome[edit]

Positive view of the metronome[edit]

In the 20th century the metronome is usually positively viewed by performers, musicologists (who spend considerable time analyzing metronome markings), teachers and conservatories. The common view is reflected in the following quote:

Because its beat is perfectly steady, the metronome is an excellent practice tool for musicians. Practicing with a metronome is extremely useful for developing and maintaining rhythmic precision, for learning to keep consistent tempos, for countering tendencies to slow down or speed up in specific passages, and for developing evenness and accuracy in rapid passages. Most music teachers consider the metronome indispensable, and most professional musicians, in fact, continue to practice with a metronome throughout their careers.

Often, the metronome by itself may not be enough to learn complex rhythms. However, its importance for all types of practicing and all genres cannot be understated. The infallibility of the machine is a blessing since it removes guesswork; thus, the player can use the metronome to learn to play evenly and to resist the temptation to take extra time when playing a difficult passage. The player must begin with the premise that the metronome is mathematically perfect and categorically correct. From there, s/he must make a personal commitment to play exactly together with this perfect 'chamber music partner.'^[21]

Metronomes are often recommended to students without reservation:

Before a student can be persuaded to use a metronome, he or she has to know why it is important. The most obvious answer is to help keep rhythms even and clean. Another reason is to keep the meter consistent, placing beats in their proper positions in the music. Metronomes can also help a student to find and fix problems. [...] The metronome quickly alerts the player to these problems by suddenly not clicking in time with the player's beats.^[22]

The objection, sometimes heard, that using a metronome tends to make a player mechanical, is not founded on facts. Indeed, the students who play the most artistically are those who have been the most faithful in the use of their metronome when learning their pieces.^[23]

Numerous other quotations in favour of the metronome, can be found in the book Metronome Techniques: Potpourri of quotations.^[24]

Metronome, strict rhythm: modern performance practice[edit]

The quotations above show the importance of the metronome in the 20th century ('Most music teachers consider the metronome indispensable, and most professional musicians, in fact, continue to practice with a metronome throughout their careers'^[20]).

The traits that distinguish Modern style [...]: unyielding tempo, literal reading of dotting and other rhythmic details, and dissonances left unstressed. [...]
Modern style [...]: light, impersonal, mechanical, literal, correct, deliberate, consistent, metronomic, and regular. Modernists look for discipline and line, while they disparage Romantic performance for its excessive rubato, its bluster, its self-indulgent posturing, and its sentimentality. Richard Taruskin calls Modernism 'refuge in order and precision, hostility to subjectivity, to the vagaries of personality.' It is characterized by formal clarity, emotional detachment, order, and precision.^[25]

Modern style [...] It does not usually inflect or shape notes, [...] use agogic accent of placement, add gracing at all generously, or use rubato (tempos are metronomic and unyielding).
Sol Babitz described it as 'sewing machine' style, thinking of the rigidly mechanical rhythmic approach, the four equally stressed 16ths, and the limited flexibility in tempo that often characterizes performances of historical repertoire heard in Modern style.^[26]

Modern style is the principal performing protocol presently taught in conservatories all over the world.^[25]

Musicians of a hundred years ago, hearing a cross-section of present-day classical performances, would likely be struck by this primary difference between their performance practice and ours: [...] Our performance practice [...] assumes that a predictably regular beat is conscientiously maintained throughout a movement. [...] We compensate our lack of timing flexibility by a very highly developed sense of tone-color and dynamic which, however refined and polished it may be, tends to abstract and de-personalize the music-making, underscoring its 'absoluteness'.
The principle of strict unity of beat within a movement has been part of our understanding and experience of classical music for so many decades now, that today's musicians and listeners can hardly imagine that less than a century ago the 'standard' classical repertoire was performed under significantly different assumptions.^[27]

In the early 19th century the metronome was not used for ticking all through a piece, but only to check the tempo and then set it aside. This is in great contrast with many musicians today:

[...] early nineteenth century [...]. There was little interest in using the metronome to tick all the way through a piece of music. But this is how the device is used by conservatory students today.

The metronome has been largely unquestioned in musical pedagogy or scholarship since the twentieth century.^[28]

Some writers draw parallels between a modern society that is 'ordered by the clock' and what they see as metronomic performance practice of today's musicians.^[4][29][30]

While this section highlights the modern trends of strict mechanical performance as something widespread in the 20th century and now, as early as 1860, some people advocated this type of 'modern' performance practice.^[31] Franz Petersilea (ca. 1860) While some in the 19th century welcomed the metronome,^[32][33] others were critical.

Criticism of metronome use[edit]

A metronome only provides a fixed, rigid, relentless pulse. Therefore, metronome markings on sheet music provide a reference, but cannot accurately communicate the pulse, swing, or groove of music. The pulse is often irregular,^[34] e.g., in accelerando, rallentando, or in musical expression as in phrasing (rubato, etc.).

Some argue that a metronomic performance stands in conflict with an expressive culturally-aware performance of music, so that a metronome is in this respect a very limited tool. Even such highly rhythmical musical forms as Samba, if performed in correct cultural style, cannot be captured with the beats of a metronome.^[35][36] A style of performance that is unfailingly regular rhythmically might be criticized as being 'metronomic.'

Many notable composers, including Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi and Johannes Brahms, criticised use of the metronome.^[37]

Quotations[edit]

... this series of even, perfectly quantized, 16th notes, is no more evocative of samba, than a metronome would be. In fact, this representation neglects what makes up the samba essence in the first place – the swing!^[35]

The metronome has no real musical value. I repeat, the metronome has no value whatsoever as an aid to any action or performance that is musical in intention. [...] refer by analogy to the sister art of drawing. Graphic artists understand well enough the essential and generic difference that exists between mechanically-aided drawing on the one hand and freehand on the other. Similarly, musicians ought to distinguish between (1) the sort of timing that results from dull, slavish obedience to the ticking of a soulless machine, and (2) that noble swing and perfect control of pulsation which comes into our playing after years of practice in treating and training the sense of time as a free, creative human faculty.^[38]

[...] using the metronome as a constant guide to ramp up the speed or to keep the rhythm. This is one of the worst abuses of the metronome. [...] If over used, it can lead to loss of your internal rhythm, loss of musicality, and bio-physical difficulties from over-exposure to rigid repetition^[39]

A good performance is so full of these minute retardations and accelerations that hardly two measures will occupy exactly the same time. It is notorious that to play with the metronome is to play mechanically – the reason being, of course, that we are then playing by the measure, or rather by the beat, instead of by the phrase. A keen musical instinct revolts at playing even a single measure with the metronome: mathematical exactitude gives us a dead body in place of the living musical organism with its ebb and flow of rhythmical energy. It may therefore be suggested, in conclusion, that the use of the metronome, even to determine the average rate of speed, is dangerous.^[40]

What is musical rhythm? Perhaps it is the difference between a performance that is stiff and metronomic in its strict adherence to the beat, and a performance that flows with elasticity and flexibility that emanates from the music itself. A rhythmically musical performance seems to take its cues from stylistic considerations, tempo, phrasing, and harmonic structure, as well as form. Sometimes we may not be exactly sure what makes a piece sound rhythmically musical, but we know it when we hear it.
It should not surprise us that some children do not know instinctively how to play musically. Many youngsters are surrounded by popular music that is rigid and inflexible in its rhythm, characterized by a relentless beat that is often synthesized or computerized. Even some CDs and MIDI disks especially designed for use with piano teaching materials can encourage students to be overly metronomic in their playing. In general, our students may not be familiar with the idea of subtle nuances of tempo, and may need help understanding this.^[41]

Numerous other quotations critical of the metronome can be found at Wikiquote: Metronome.

Metronome technique[edit]

Metronome technique is extensive and has been the subject of several books.^[42][43][44] So this short section just summarizes some of the main ideas and approaches. The 'intuitive' approach to metronome practise, is to simply play along with a metronome. With metronome technique however, musicians do separate exercises to strengthen and steady their sense of rhythm and tempo, and increase their sensitivity to musical time and precision.

Playing 'in the pocket'[edit]

The basic skill required is the ability to play precisely in the pocket with the metronome in a relaxed fashion. This first step helps the musician to relate to the time of the metronome clearly and precisely at the millisecond level, to help internalize a similarly precise sense of time in yourself. It is not a goal in itself, and the aim is not particularly to be able to play like a metronome.

It is harder to play in the pocket with the metronome than one might expect, especially with piano or percussion. That's because the metronome click may seem to vanish when one hits the click exactly – or may be heard less distinctly. The further one is away from the click the more easily one hears the metronome. Musicians who attempt to play in the pocket with a metronome without use of the established techniques for doing this may find that it introduces tension and effort into their instrument technique.

To address these issues, musicians start by learning to play consistently ahead or behind the beat whenever they want to. As a result, they develop a clear sense of 'where the click is' and so can also play to hit the click as well, in a relaxed way.

The other thing they do is to listen out to hear how the sound of their playing merges with the metronome to create a new sound when playing precisely in the pocket with the metronome. By listening in this way (and through other exercises) it is possible to play precisely in the pocket with the metronome in a relaxed fashion.^{[45][46][47][48]} At the same time as they work on playing in the pocket, they also work on flexibility and the ability to play in the same precise way anywhere in the beat.

Precision of timing and sensitivity to musical time[edit]

Many exercises are used to help with precision of timing and sensitivity to time, also independence, to make sure you don't become too dependent to the metronome. These exercises include:

• Set the metronome to go silent for a number of measures, and see if you are still in time when it comes back on again
• Set it to go silent for increasingly longer time periods and see if you are still in time^[49]
• Play through music in your mind's ear, and try to do keep in time with the metronome as you do so
• Practise subdividing the beat, with the metronome set to a slow tempo, including set to click on the measure beat, every second measure, the second beat of the measure instead of the first (or the second and fourth, technique used for jazz), set to click every 5 beats for a rhythm in 4/4, and so on.
• Playing displaced clicks^[50]
• Playing polyrhythmically with the metronome

And many other exercises. Much of modern metronome technique is to do with various methods to help resolve timing issues, and to encourage and develop a clear sense of musical time and to help with precision of timing.

This steadiness and precision you can develop and encourage through metronome technique does no harm to musical expression in timing and rhythm; indeed one of the motivations is to help with nuances of timing and tempo. An analogy with art may help. It's like Giotto's circle, or Apelles' straight line, if you can play a perfectly steady and precise beat, it helps with nuances of timing., It doesn't mean that you can only play perfectly steady beats, just as Giotto or Apelles impressive displays of technique didn't mean that they could only draw circles and straight lines.

Musically expressive rhythms[edit]

Modern metronome technique addresses the issues of expressive musical rhythms in many ways. For instance, much of the focus of modern metronome technique is on encouraging and developing a good sense of tempo and timing in your playing, and in your mind. So you may work with the metronome in separate exercises to achieve this. When you have a more precise sense of the passage of time, you can then choose for yourself how to use this in your musical performance. You still play in a musically expressive fashion with continually changing tempo and beat; the only difference is that as a result of your work on precision of timing with use of a metronome, you are more aware of what you are doing..

To be an artist one must be able to play in perfect time – slow, fast, or anywhere between. Then one must be able to leave the time at will. This is not the same as having the time leave the player, and that is the effect if one is not able to play with the metronome.^[51]

Special metronome exercises are used to help keep this fluid sense of rhythm and timing as you work with the metronome. There are many of them, they include:

• Drift gradually from one beat to the next and play polyrhythmically with the metronome
• Play beats ahead or behind the click – and get comfortable with playing anywhere relative to the metronome click.
• As you play with the metronome start from a pulse unison and gradually push your notes ahead of the click then pull back again to pulse unison (also the other way pulling behind the pulse) ^[52]

At the same time you can work on developing a higher level of awareness of the many natural rhythms in your everyday life and use exercises to help bring those rhythms into your music.^[53]

Time Feel, the subject of Chapter 7, is one of the great keys to musicality for rhythm section instruments. But being able to play behind or ahead of the pulse can also add expression to a melodic line. This, along with slight changes in dynamics, creates phrasing in music. The ability to hear the pulse and yet accelerate or decelerate slightly is a great way to incorporate human feeling into a musical performance. Of course, this is all relative to the tempo, and is best achieved relative to a steady tempo. In other words, the more definite your sense of pulse, the better your capability to manipulate it. This also works for the actions of ritardando and accelerando, as they are relative to a steady pulse and are best performed gradually rather than in sudden shifts'^[54]

In this way, with suitable metronome techniques, use of a metronome helps you to improve your sense of time and exact timing without causing any of the expected issues for musicality and expressive timing. The thing to bear in mind all the way through is that you use the metronome to help with exact timing – but that the sense of rhythm and musically expressive timing is something that comes from yourself. Rhythm is natural to human beings and pervades our lives, though you may need help to bring that rhythm into music. As Andrew Lewis says in his book:

Rhythm is everywhere. Be sensitive to it, and stay aware of spontaneous occurrences that can spur rhythmic development. Listen all the time and use your imagination. Become a rhythm antenna.^[55]

An exact sense of the passage of time doesn't come to humans so naturally (sometimes time may seem to pass quickly and sometimes more slowly) and that's where the metronome can help most. That's how the teachers of metronome technique referenced here think of the tool – as a way to increase your sensitivity to musical time, and develop greater precision of timing and a clearer sense of the passage of musical time – relative to which musicians can then use expressive, natural and fluid rhythms, with as much rubato and tempo variance as they wish for.

Alternatives to metronome use[edit]

If a musician decides not to use a metronome, other methods are required to deal with timing and tempo glitches, and rushing and dragging without its help. These ideas may also be useful as a complementary approach along with metronome technique.

One starting point is to notice that we rely on a sense of rhythm to perform ordinary activities such as walking, running, hammering nails or chopping vegetables. Even speech and thought has a rhythm of sorts. So one way to work on rhythms is to work on bringing these into music, becoming a 'rhythm antenna' in Andrew Lewis's words.^[55] Until the nineteenth century in Europe, people used to sing as they worked, in time to the rhythms of their work. Musical rhythms were part of daily life, Cecil Sharp collected some of these songs before they were forgotten. For more about this see Work song and Sea shanties. In many parts of the world music is an important part of daily life even today. There are many accounts of people (especially tribal people) who sing frequently and spontaneously in their daily life, as they work, and as they engage in other activities.

'Benny Wenda, a Lani man from the highlands, is a Papuan leader now in exile in the UK, and a singer. There are songs for everything, he says: songs for climbing a mountain, songs for the fireside, songs for gardening. 'Since people are interconnected with the land, women will sing to the seed of the sweet potato as they plant it, so the earth will be happy.' Meanwhile, men will sing to the soil until it softens enough to dig.' ^[56]

Musicians may also work on strengthening their sense of pulse using inner sources, such as breath, and subdividing breaths. Or work with the imagination, imagining a pulse. They may also work with their heart beat, and rhythms in their chest muscles in the same way.^[55]

Another thing they do is to play music in their mind's ear along with the rhythms of walking or other daily life rhythms. Other techniques include hearing music in ones mind's ear first before playing it. Musicians can deal with timing and tempo glitches by learning to hear a perfect performance in their mind's ear first.

In some styles of music such as early music notes inégales (according to one minority view interpretation) it can be appropriate to use a different approach that doesn't work so much with a sense of inner pulse and instead works on ideas of gestures and is more closely related to rhythms of speech and poetry. Ideas from this approach can be useful for all styles of music.

The basic ideas are:

• Notes should be subtly unequal – having no three notes the same helps to keep the music alive and interesting and helps prevent any feeling of sameness and boredom in the music – the idea of 'Entasis'

This technique is especially challenging in its application, because musicians today are so rigidly trained in metrical regularity. Yet, like the beating of the heart, the musical pulse needs to fluctuate in speed as the emotional content of the music fluctuates. Like the natural shifting accents in speech, musical accents need to shift according to the meaning being expressed. To feel perfect, music must be metrically imperfect.

• Notes and musical phrases can be organized in gestures – particular patterns of rhythm that come naturally – rather than strict measures.
• Individual notes can be delayed slightly – when you expect a particular note e.g. at the end of a musical phrase – just waiting a moment or two before playing the note:

The cognitive partner of hesitation is anticipation: anticipation is created by building up assumption on assumption about what will happen. When the event which should occur fails to happen at the expected time, there exists a moment of disappointment. Disappointment, however, is soon transformed into a rush of pleasure when the anticipated event is consummated. The art is always in the timing.

• Notes played together can be allowed to go somewhat out of time with each other in a care-free fashion 'Sans souci'.

When the alignment of notes in the score suggests that they be performed strictly and simultaneously, they may be purposely jumbled or played in an irregular or a staggering manner to create a careless (sans souci) effect. This technique gives music a feeling of relaxed effortlessness

This just touches on some of the ideas; for more details, see 'The Craft of Musical Communication'.^[57]

This is a minority view on interpretation of this style of music, but well worth a mention here because of its different approach to musical time and rhythm, and its relevance to the way rhythms can be practised. The more generally accepted view is that Notes inégales were played with the same amount of swing nearly all the time, like modern Jazz.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abMaelzel's patent of the Metronome The Repertory of patent inventions: and other discoveries and improvements in arts, manufactures, and agriculture ... published by T. and G. Underwood, 1818 (alternative)
2. ^Andrew Robertson. 'Decoding tempo and timing variations in music recordings from beat annotations'Archived 2013-10-19 at the Wayback Machine. Proceedings of the 13th International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference (ISMIR 2012).
3. ^Vijay Iyar. Microtiming StudiesArchived 2012-11-03 at the Wayback Machine(from thesis at Berkeley university).
4. ^ ^abAlexander Bonus. 'The Metronomic Performance Practice: A History of Rhythm, Metronomes, and the Mechanization of Musicality'; PhD thesis, May 2010.
5. ^Jon Frederickson. 'Technology and Music Performance in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'Archived 2016-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, p. 210, section 'The Metronome vs. Musical Time'.
6. ^'Oxford English Dictionary online'. Archived from the original on 2006-06-25. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
7. ^Lynn Townsend White, Jr. (Spring, 1961). 'Eilmer of Malmesbury, an Eleventh Century Aviator: A Case Study of Technological Innovation, Its Context and Tradition', Technology and Culture2 (2), p. 97–111 [100]: 'Ibn Firnas was a polymath: a physician, a rather bad poet, the first to make glass from stones (quartz), a student of music, and inventor of some sort of metronome.'
8. ^'A Brief History of the Metronome'. Franz Manufacturing Company, Inc. Archived from the original on 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
9. ^The Metronome; The Harmonicon, Volume 8, 1830
10. ^Kolisch, R. and Mendel, A. (1943) 'Tempo and Character in Beethoven's Music', pg. 173
11. ^Mondal, Himel; Mondal, Shaikat (2018-07-01). 'Applicability of android application-based metronome in physiological tests'. International Journal of Health & Allied Sciences. 7 (3).
12. ^'Search Results for 'metronome' – Matthew Hindson'. hindson.com.au. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26.
13. ^'Dictionary of Tempo Markings'.
14. ^'Big list of Windows and Online Metronomes - Bounce Metronome'. robertinventor.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-24.
15. ^'metronome - Google Search'. www.google.com. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
16. ^'Getting to the heart of Ravel's opera double bill'Archived 2017-09-09 at the Wayback Machine by Sanjoy Roy, The Guardian, 17 August 2012
17. ^Flowers in the Dirt 1993 Reissue CD booklet; credited as 'Metronome and body percussion'.
18. ^1995 Remastered and Expanded Edition CD booklet liner notes.
19. ^Baker, Kenneth, 'In, out of sync with William Kentridge's 'Time'Archived 2013-12-13 at the Wayback Machine, SFGate.com, November 6, 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
20. ^ ^abHoffman, Miles (1997). The NPR Classical Music Companion: Terms and Concepts from A to Z. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN978-0618619450.
21. ^A Practical Guide To Twentieth-Century Violin Etudes With Performance And Theoretical AnalysisArchived 2010-06-28 at the Wayback Machine; by Aaron M. Farrell
22. ^Steven Mauk. 'Make the Metronome Your Friend'(PDF). ithaca.edu. Archived(PDF) from the original on 2010-06-16.
23. ^'Metronome Techniques - Uses of the Metronome'. www.franzmfg.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11.
24. ^'Metronome Techniques - Uses of the Metronome'. www.franzmfg.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11.
25. ^ ^abThe end of early music: a period performer's history of music for the twenty-first centuryArchived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine; page 49; (Oxford University Press) by Bruce Haynes
26. ^The end of early music: a period performer's history of music for the twenty-first centuryArchived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine; page 57; (Oxford University Press) by Bruce Haynes
27. ^'Overcoming Romanticism': On the modernization of twentieth century performance practice by Robert Hill (Chapter 3 contribution to Music and Performance During the Weimar RepublicArchived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine; Cambridge University Press; November 2005)
28. ^Refashioning Rhythm: Hearing, Acting and Reacting to Metronomic Sound in Experimental Psychology and Beyond, c.1875–1920 by Alexander Bonus (see also)
29. ^Refashioning Rhythm: Hearing, Acting, and Reacting to Metronomic Sound in Experimental Psychology, 1875–1915Archived 2013-02-26 at the Wayback Machine; by Alexander Bonus
30. ^Metronomic society: Natural rhythms and human timetables (1988) by Michael Young – see also review incl. image by Ingram Pinn
31. ^Franz Petersilea 'On rudimental instruction on the piano'; translated from Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, Vol. 50, No. 3, 11, 16 by G. A. Schmitt
32. ^New monthly magazine, Volume 66 (1842)
33. ^A musical biography: or, Sketches of the lives and writings of eminent musical characters (1825)
34. ^Justin London. 'Pulse.' In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, (accessed July 28, 2008)
35. ^ ^abUnderstanding the Samba Groove by Pedro Batista (original, alt.1Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, alt.2)
36. ^Analyzing the earliest (pre-1930) samba recordings (e.g. Pelo Telefone from 1917), reveals strong differences with many of today's 'samba' performances, many of which have a very different – sterile, modernist, metronomic ('corrupted') rhythm.
37. ^'Thoughts on Tempi'. Essays on the Origins of Western Music. David Whitwell. Archived from the original on 2008-04-09.; quotes from Beethoven, Berlioz, and Liszt are referenced here.
38. ^The Amateur String QuartetArchived 2017-01-06 at the Wayback Machine by James Brown III; The Musical Times, Vol. 68, No. 1014 (August 1, 1927)
39. ^'Fundamentals of Piano Practice: free online piano lessons - learn, teach piano'. www.pianopractice.org. Archived from the original on 2010-07-10.
40. ^Source from The Tyranny of the Bar-Line by Daniel Gregory Mason; The New music review and church music review, vol 9 (American Guild of Organists); 1909
41. ^How do you teach the difference between counting rhythm and musical rhythm?Archived 2010-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
42. ^Frederick Franz, revised by Jon Truelson Metronome TechniquesArchived 2012-06-03 at the Wayback Machine
43. ^Andrew Lewis's Rhythm, What it is and how to improve your sense of itArchived 2012-12-06 at the Wayback Machine especially his book 2 How to improve your sense of rhythmArchived 2012-12-06 at the Wayback MachineISBN0975466704
44. ^Mac Santiago 'Beyond the metronome'Archived 2012-12-21 at the Wayback MachineISBN1450731945
45. ^Mac Santiago 'Beyond the metronome'Archived 2012-12-21 at the Wayback Machine – see Lesson 4: Rhythmony
46. ^Tom Hess music corporation How To Practice Guitar Effectively With And Without A MetronomeArchived 2012-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
47. ^StudyBass interactive online lessons: Keeping The BeatArchived 2012-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
48. ^Max Krimmel (guitar builder) Online Metronome CourseArchived 2012-11-06 at the Wayback Machine
49. ^Mac Santiago 'Beyond the metronome'Archived 2012-12-21 at the Wayback Machine – see Chapter 3: The Diminishing Click particularly
50. ^Mac Santiago 'Beyond the metronome'Archived 2012-12-21 at the Wayback Machine – see Lesson 7: Being Inchronouse around the Click
51. ^M.L. Carr, Violin World, March, 1896
52. ^Andrew Lewis Book 4: Rhythm in PerformanceArchived 2012-12-06 at the Wayback Machine – see the section on Fluidity and Flexibility and the various Flexibility exercises particularly
53. ^Andrew Lewis Book 2: How to Improve your Sense of RhythmArchived 2012-12-06 at the Wayback Machine – see the section on 'Improving Pulse and Rhythm Through Motion and Action' particularly
54. ^Mac Santiago 'Beyond the Metronome' 2010, Chapter 8, page 39
55. ^ ^abcAndrew Lewis Rhythm – What it is and How to Improve Your Sense of ItArchived 2012-12-06 at the Wayback Machine, book II How to Improve Your Sense of Rhythm – A practical step-by-step guide to developing and strengthening rhythm and inner pulse, page 55 'Improving Pulse and Rhythm Using Nature and Aspects of Daily Life'
56. ^Griffiths, Jay (15 March 2011). 'Songs and freedom in West Papua'. the Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017.
57. ^Marianne Ploger and Keith Hill The Craft of Musical CommunicationArchived 2013-01-21 at the Wayback Machine Orphei Organi Antiqui 2005

External links[edit]

• The Metronomic Performance Practice: A History of Rhythm, Metronomes, and the Mechanization of Musicality; PhD Thesis by Alexander Evan Bonus (May 2010)
• Metronome (Oxford Handbooks Online) (altern.) by Alexander Evan Bonus (April 2014)
• Refashioning Rhythm: Hearing, Acting and Reacting to Metronomic Sound in Experimental Psychology and Beyond, c.1875–1920 by Alexander Bonus (see also)