[lblangston]

I know that when I am working on my reading, I need to use a metronome but I find I become so obsessed with the metronome that I do lose my count. How do most people use a metronome with out it becoming a distraction.:?

 

[saxmaam]

I know that when I am working on my reading, I need to use a metronome but I find I become so obsessed with the metronome that I do lose my count. How do most people use a metronome with out it becoming a distraction.:?

Admit that I can't play with the metronome ... Then back up and play easy stuff with the metronome ... and build up to harder stuff.

 

[stefank]

try

1 - counting with the metronome

2 - say the rhythm with the metronome

and then

3 - playing with the metronome.

If you are not counting in time with the metronome you probably don't have a steady beat internalised in your head, and that's likely to be what is causing problems.

As saxmaam said, keep it simple, get it right and build from there.

 

[lblangston]

Thanks for the replies, I have and can count with the metronome but when I start to play, I am always distracted trying to make sure that I'm hitting beat 1 on time. I'm beginning to think that just I need a louder metronome .

 

[saxmaam]

Thanks for the replies, I have and can count with the metronome but when I start to play, I am always distracted trying to make sure that I'm hitting beat 1 on time. I'm beginning to think that just I need a louder metronome .

It's true that you have to be able to hear the metronome.

Also, it's surprising how a seemingly unimportant change in circumstances can throw off a performance skill. Up until recently I was doing rhythm exercises with drumsticks. It was fun and I could focus on just rhythm. After a conversation with a friend, I decided to play the rhythms on the sax (with a metronome ...) and my brain seemed to turn to jello over rhythms that would've been a cinch with the drumsticks, even though I'm no drummer. It surprised me.

I still think that the process of starting simple and building up has a lot to recommend it. It's the fastest way from A to B.

Personal anecdote follows. I'm not saying that you would do this; I'm just reminded of the frustrating situations by this topic.

Some time ago I was trying to play duets with a couple of different people in different contexts. There were chronic problems staying together, so I'd pull out the metronome as a neutral arbiter of "beat 1." We'd get away from the metronome, either through tempo change or insertion or deletion of beats, and partner would say "I can't hear the metronome." I'd make it louder. Still couldn't stay together. One of the partners' instruments was electronic so I said how about we turn THAT down since it was pretty loud and I could play quieter, too. No, said partner, that would detract from the gutsy feeling of playing the instrument. I eventually figured that neither of these people wanted to solve the time problem. Unless I could accept the time problems the duos weren't going to work.

 

[stefank]

......actually, I've often been convinced that my (otherwise perfect) metronome changes speed randomly when I start to play....

The "distraction" is the point though - keeping your internal clock synchronised with the external one of a metronome or the rest of a band has just got to be an automatic thing near the top of the list of priorities when reading. No note is right if it's in the wrong place, and it's quite easy to have your attention drawn away from sufficient attention to time when trying to read something that is technically demanding.

First, worry about where you are in the "temporal framework".

Next, fill in the notes in the right place on that framework.

 

[lblangston]

I've just finished practicing and I can play the lesson tapping my foot but as soon as I turn the metronome on, and even at a slow 88bpm I become mesmerized by the damned thing to the point of almost freezing. I think I might eventually throw it across the room but that still doesn't solve my dilema ..

 

[stefank]

I've just finished practicing and I can play the lesson tapping my foot but as soon as I turn the metronome on, and even at a slow 88bpm I become mesmerized by the damned thing to the point of almost freezing. I think I might eventually throw it across the room but that still doesn't solve my dilema ..

Simple! - wire up the metronome to the foot - problem solved!

This is actually a serious suggestion - it's just that it's not a physical connection, but more of a mental/listening one.

 

[lblangston]

I understand what you are getting at and I agree. I can tap my foot quite easily to the metronome, and I can play to the beat of my foot tapping at the same speed as the metronome, so I should be able to play along with the metronome, but I stuggle with it so I continue to count out the beats to the metronome and eventually this should all come together and make me a better musican but until then it is a slow learning curve.

 

[Fell Boyzs]

Something that helped me way back was to focus on down beats. As long as I was shooting forthe down beats (notes and rests) I could stay with the metronome and the "fill in" notes/rest came with practice.

-Zach

 

[Wonder woman]

I actually try not to crank up the metronome too much when I'm playing, the louder it is the more distracted I become by it while I'm playing. Instead, I turn it to the point where I can pretty much hear it at a mf dynamic, that way I know its still there, but I'm not so entirely focused on it that I forget what I'm actually doing with the music.

You may also want to try some rhythm exercises. I recommend Robert Starer's book (I think its called Rhythmic Training) to help with more complex rhythms.

Try counting with the metronome, count quarters for a while, then change to eighths, then triplets, then sixteenths, etc....and go back. Also try counting each beat as a number starting going up to 8, then decrease by a number each time. (For example: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,1,2,3,4,5,6etc...) These exercises really helped to improve my ability to sight-read and correctly count rhythms.

 

[tictactux]

I know that when I am working on my reading, I need to use a metronome but I find I become so obsessed with the metronome that I do lose my count. How do most people use a metronome with out it becoming a distraction.:?

I have no problem keeping an adequate tempo accurately, but I admit I feel stressed by the metronome. They should come with a gas pedal...

 

[Jon B. Bop]

A couple of thoughts;

IMO the purpose of the metronome is to smack you in the head when you get off time. So some distraction is OK. The more you practice with it the more comfortable you'll be.

I think it's important to be loud enough that you don't need to strain to hear it. I went to Radio Shack and got a cable with a plug that fits the headphone jack on the metronome on one side and one that fits my stereo on the other. I run it through an Aux. channel and can really pump it up. Works great.

Don't give up on it, keeping good time is critical.

 

[tictactux]

Don't give up on it, keeping good time is critical.

A guest band director told us to listen to each other rather than to just stick to the maestro's flailing baton, and that metronomes were great and all but they simply couldn't cope with the tempo changes (accelerando/ritardando etc) in real life; and until we could literally sense (and react accordingly to) the orchestra's tempo there would ultimately be no good sound. Just like a swarm of fish can change course seemingly instantly we should feel each other's tempo and tone, learn to blend in and out when breathing etc.

Being able to keep tempo is a great asset when you're seated in front of the trumpet section and play syncopated or otherwise beat-up music.

 

[lblangston]

Thanks for all the help, I am still struggling a bit with it but I did change my metronome so that all the beats sound the same instead of beat 1 having a different sound and it seems to make quite a difference ( it always amazes me how we get hung up on certain things ) I can now play the piece and not lose time or stop to see if I am in time on beat 1 .Thanks again

 

[lblangston]

Things are going much better now, where I was struggling with eights notes and rests @ 88 on the metronome before, I am able to play comfortably at 110 now. Who knows where this will take me ..Thanks again for all the help.