Keep the Beat
TRADITIONAL METRONOME
If you are all about aesthetics and like a vintage look, then you should try a wooden pendulum metronome. Many of them have a keywound weight and spring system, which means that no battery is needed, but there are also quartz models. Speed (usually 40 to 208 bpm) is adjusted by moving a weight on the arm up or down. They are slightly less precise than digital models.
Try This: Wittner Maelzel Series 800/810
DIGITAL METRONOME
There are dozens of electronic metronomes to choose from. Most feature LED displays, flashing lights, and different tones. Look for features like headphone jacks, volume controls, integrated tuners, and play-along patterns for irregular time signatures. The speed range on these devices is usually 35 to 250 bpm. Electronic metronomes are easy to use and portable.
Try This: BOSS DB-30 Dr. Beat Metronome
TACTILE METRONOME
Tactile metronomes vibrate rather than click, so the musician can feel the beat, instead of hear it. Some musicians are better able to internalize the beat this way. The other advantage is that, because they are silent, they can also be used in a performance or group practice setting. Tactile metronomes often come with audible or visual options for use as a regular metronome.
Try This: Peterson BBI Body Beat Pulsing Metronome
Czech inventor Johann Nepomuk Maelzel is thought to have made the first metronome in the 19th century. Maelzel created various devices to help Ludwig van Beethoven. Thus, Beethoven was one of the first composers to include metronome markings in his scores in order to guarantee his compositions were played the way he intended. Though metronomes were designed to help musicians learn the correct tempo of a piece, today musicians also use them to improve their playing skills.
Experienced amateur musicians that have never used a metronome may wrongly assume the device is for beginning musicians. However, a metronome can improve any musician's talent and ability.
For instance, if you are having a hard time with a particular section of a piece, you can slow down the tempo and work the difficult segment out. This way you will understand the music better and can trouble-shoot exactly what element is giving you problems. You can also speed up a piece for a challenge or to build confidence with it. If there is an irregular pattern in a certain piece, a metronome can subdivide the beats and help you take the time to become comfortable with a section that might be a bit harder to play.
A metronome can help you examine your own performance and playing techniques, picking up details you might not have otherwise noticed. In doing this, you develop your inner pulse or tempo and build a familiarity with the process of making music. You will eventually see that you don't rely on your metronome as much because you are better able to hear the division of beats and the rhythm without assistance.
Once you build that familiarity with music and tempos, you can begin to add creative elements to your music, such as improvisation, or a new style or rhythm, or you can even start to tab out your own music. Confidence is key and the more you practice with faster or slower tempos, the more assured you can be of your quality of performance.
Today's metronomes have come a long way and often integrate visual or tactile elements, or tuners and other devices. If you are looking for a metronome to always have on hand, there are also metronome applications for cell phones, perfect for musicians on the go.
