| I'm sure you've heard that it is incredibly useful to | | | | get a particular lick up to 200 bpm. You could first |
| practice with a metronome. Most books and teachers | | | | master the lick at 40 bpm. Once mastered at this |
| make it abundantly clear that using a metronome is a | | | | speed you could then increase the metronome speed |
| great way to improve your timing. This is true. But did | | | | to 42 bpm, then 44 bpm, them 46 bpm. You get the |
| you know that there are other HUGE benefits to using | | | | idea! You would work up to the target speed |
| a metronome? Let's take a look at a few now... | | | | incrementally over a period of days, weeks or even |
| ***Goal Setting*** | | | | months. |
| It's been proven time-and-time again that goals need to | | | | ***Developing Listening Skills*** |
| be specific and measurable to work. If you don't know | | | | One absolutely vital skill to develop is the ability to play |
| exactly WHAT you are trying to achieve, how will you | | | | your guitar while still being able to listen to the people |
| know WHEN you have achieved it? | | | | that you are playing with. This is especially true in jazz, |
| I use my metronome all the time to help me set | | | | where a large proportion of the song may be |
| SPECIFIC goals for my technique development. For | | | | improvised! |
| example, let's say that you would like to increase the | | | | Metronomes really help you develop this listening skill. |
| speed at which you can play a particular exercise. If | | | | As you practice you will also have to be listening to |
| you use a metronome you can set an EXACT speed | | | | the click of your metronome. If you don't, you will soon |
| for your goal. For example, you might say that when | | | | be playing out of time with it! |
| you can play the exercise using sixteenth notes at 160 | | | | Obviously, you'll develop this listening ability more fully |
| bpm (beats-per-minute), then you have reached your | | | | by playing with other musicians, but playing with a |
| goal. Can you see how powerful this is? The | | | | metronome will definitely help as well. It's a great place |
| metronome setting gives you a clear target to aim for! | | | | to start and can often can help build your confidence |
| ***Progressive Realization Of Goals*** | | | | to play with other people. |
| Metronomes allow you to progressively achieve your | | | | Hopefully this article has inspired you to dust off your |
| goals. What do I mean by this? Put simply, it means | | | | metronome and use it. It would also be a great |
| start slow and GRADUALLY increase the speed of | | | | exercise to think of some other benefits yourself. |
| your metronome. For example, let's say you want to | | | | Practice hard and have fun! |