Is the Metronome Making You Google-eyed? Here's Help!

Learning to play the piano takes a bit of patience while our mind grows and expands to hold all of the new things we're learning. It's amazing how many things we are able to concentrate on at one time when we play the piano. 

We're using both hands at the same time, but playing different notes with each hand; we're learning notes, rhythms, key signatures, etc. 

At some point for all of us, we're going to be introduced to the Metronome and will start using it in our practice time to help our playing improve. 

A Metronome is basically a "time-machine", that keeps a steady beat for us through some kind of ticking noise. It can be set at many different tempos according to what we're playing and what the music calls for. 

We use the metronome to help us increase our playing tempos, gain more flexibility in our fingers, and learn the keyboard better. Metronomes are the number one tool that help us learn our notes securely at a slower tempo, and then increase that tempo bit by bit until we're up to the speed that the piece calls for. 

While there are many great things about using a metronome, certainly one of the biggest challenges is being able to keep our focus on our notes and music, while we practice them with the metronome at the same time. 

Many of us can get distracted by the sound and constrictions of following a steady tempo and lose our place in our music or make more mistakes than normal. When we get distracted we feel like we're moving backwards, instead of forwards!

How Can You Keep Your Focus While Using a Metronome?

There are several ways actually...let's take a look!

• Accept, that challenges being able to play your music in sync with the metronome is completely normal! Most everyone faces these challenges, so don't think that you're not mean to play or you just can't do it. You can!
• Try listening to your metronome while it beats to your music, but don't play...just listen and read along in your music while the metronome is going. What happens is that you mentally fit the notes into the tempo set by the metronome and can get a sense of security without having to focus on everything else at the same time. 
• Instead of trying to use the metronome with a piece, start with a simple scale, and just use one hand. Remember...keep it simple! Play 2-3 octaves of your favorite scale while your metronome is beating quarter notes. Set the metronome at the lowest tempo setting you have. 
• Now do the same thing, but switch hands and use the opposite hand of the one you used before. 
• Now, try doing both hands together with the metronome. Slowly...and keep trying if you do happen to mess up.
• Do this for several days, just to get used to playing each note with the beat produced by the metronome. 
• Now, try an easy exercise or etude. It's even better if it is one that you are already familiar with. Do the same as with your scales...do one hand first, then the other, then try both together. Remember to set the metronome at its slowest tempo to start.
• Keep doing this with your scales and easy exercises until you are starting to feel more secure about playing with the metronome.
• Now...take out one or two of your favorite easier pieces, and do the same as above with them. 

Presto! 

After doing these steps, you'll be able to play better with the metronome than before, and as you keep working at it, (meaning slowly and with music that is easy for you), you'll end up being able to play with the metronome very easily! 

Remember how it took a little minute to learn how to play with both hands at the same time? It works just the same here, and in fact, with everything we learn on the piano. 

Slow steady effort will bring success. The key is to stick with it, keep it simplified, and take it one day at a time. 

Stay Tuned to LessonsOnTheWeb to learn much more and achieve your dream of playing the Piano!