Metronomes

This semester one of my studio goals is to help my students improve their rhythm skills.  Part of their assignments each week includes work with the metronome.  This small device provides a ticking sound at a given beat, with an approximate range of 40 beats per minute to 208 beats per minute.  Students may be assigned to clap rhythms with the metronome, play to its beat, use it to incrementally increase the tempo of a piece, and other activities.

If you do have a metronome, please pull it out and make sure it’s working well.  If you don’t have a metronome, please acquire one for your student as soon as possible.  Here are a couple of suggestions for metronomes:

This is my favorite digital metronome – the Matrix MR500.  It is sturdy, inexpensive, and I have owned one for 5 years and have yet to replace the battery.

If you have an Ipod Touch, IPhone, or Ipad, you can download a free metronome app called Steinway Metronome or a simple app called Metronome.

A metronome is an inexpensive investment that will last for years and really help your student’s music studies.