The metronome and I had a rough relationship while I was growing up. As a free spirited child, I despised having to use the machine; the relentless clicking of the machine was enough to drive me crazy. However, my teacher insisted on it. Almost every piece we worked on had a tempo marking. When I first began teaching, I vowed to myself to not burden my students with the metronome. Now, I’ve come 180 degrees to realize it is an invaluable tool in teaching piano students.
The Benefits of Using the Metronome:
- It provides immediate clarity on where rhythm and tempo might be unknowingly wrong
- I can not count the number of times I thought I was playing something in the correct and consistent tempo until the metronome revealed the truth.
- It provides a framework while learning
- Playing the piano is a constant coordination between your eyes, hands, ears, and foot. The metronome provides a steady rhythmic framework that students can rely on to coordinate their body.
- It gives a concrete meaning of tempos to students.
- Slow, fast, medium can be subjective words and abstract to students. The metronome at 88 bpm is a definitive tempo.
While we are on the topic, it is important not the possible consequences of the metronome. It is not always possible to keep training aids on at all times.
Factors to Consider
- Much of piano music, and music in general, is known to flex written the rhythm and tempo to give feeling.
- This is an important part of music expression. Strict following of a tempo can lead to music feeling mechanical
- Students should not overuse the metronome to a point where they are too reliant on the clicking beat, and are unable to count the rhythm themselves.
- Ideally, students should be able to both follow a metronome, and count while playing
While this simple machine can not replace the development of an inner beat within students, it is an incredible tool that allows tempo and rhythm to defined clearly. While I have resisted using this tool in my prior teaching, I am now intending to incorporate it whenever I feel that it can elevate a piano student’s learning.
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Eric Ng (B.Mus, A.R.C.T , ECE ) is a piano teacher based in Richmond, B.C. Mr. Eric has taught in a variety of early childhood education styles, including Reggio-inspired, Montessori, Play-based, and Outdoor-based settings. Along with his formal classical music training from the RCM curriculum and the University of Victoria, Mr. Eric brings a unique perspective to teaching music to young children today.