How to practise with a metronome
A metronome is not just for “playing in time”: used well, it is the fastest tool to improve your pulse, technique and muscle memory. A practical method, with numbers.
What a metronome measures
A metronome marks beats at a speed measured in BPM (beats per minute). The length of a beat in milliseconds is 60,000 / BPM: at 60 BPM each beat lasts one second; at 100 BPM, 600 ms; at 120 BPM, 500 ms. The clockwork pendulum metronome with a sliding weight was patented by Johann Maelzel in 1815, and Beethoven was among the first composers to give tempos with it.
The tempo ladder method
- Start slower than you think. Choose a tempo where you can play the passage without errors and without tension, for instance half the final tempo.
- Play it correctly three times in a row. If one goes wrong, restart the count.
- Raise the tempo gradually, 4 to 8 BPM per step (less at slow tempos). The Atril tempo trainer can raise it for you every set number of bars.
- If you fail, drop one step and climb again. Stepping back is normal.
- Do not stop at the final tempo: go a little beyond (5 to 10 BPM) so the real tempo feels easy, then come back.
Subdividing: the inner pulse trick
Tempo errors rarely happen on the beat; they happen between beats. Turn on subdivision (eighths or sixteenths) to hear the “invisible” beats. With quarter notes at 60 BPM, subdividing in eighths gives a click every 500 ms: it is much easier to keep a slow beat if you fill it from the inside.
Four ways to use it that change your practice
- Click on beats 2 and 4. In jazz and popular music the pulse is felt on the backbeat. Set the metronome to half the tempo (for example 60 instead of 120) and count so each click lands on 2 and 4. It forces you to feel the pulse for real.
- Silent bars. Turn the metronome volume to zero for a bar or two and bring it back. When the click returns, are you still in time?
- One click per bar. In fast passages use a slower tempo and count four beats per click: you have to carry the subdivision inside.
- Record yourself. Play with the metronome and record on your phone. Listening back is the most honest way to find where your pulse rushes or drags.
Italian tempo terms and approximate BPM
The classical terms are not exact numbers, and different authors give slightly different ranges. These are indicative values as a starting point:
| Term | Approximate BPM |
|---|---|
| Largo | 40–60 |
| Adagio | 66–76 |
| Andante | 76–108 |
| Moderato | 108–120 |
| Allegro | 120–156 |
| Vivace | 156–176 |
| Presto | 168–200 |
To see how they were interpreted in each period, read the history of tempo, or use the “What tempo did they play?” button on the metronome.
A 30-minute routine (suggestion)
| Minutes | What |
|---|---|
| 5 | Warm-up and long tones against a drone, watching intonation |
| 5 | Scales and arpeggios with metronome, raising the tempo in steps |
| 10 | Technical work: the hardest passage of your piece, slowly, with the tempo ladder |
| 7 | Repertoire: play the whole piece at a moderate tempo without stopping |
| 3 | Cool-down: something easy and beautiful, so you want to come back tomorrow |
This is an example structure; adapt it to your level and instrument. Consistency is what counts: 30 minutes every day beats two hours once a week.
Next: how to tune well.
Frequently asked questions
What speed should I start a hard passage at?
A speed at which you play it cleanly and without tension, usually between half and two thirds of the final tempo. Then raise it 4 to 8 BPM at a time.
Should I always practise with a metronome?
Not always. Alternate: part of the session with the metronome for evenness and part without, listening to yourself, for expression and phrasing.
What does BPM mean?
Beats per minute. 60 BPM is one beat per second; 120 BPM is two beats per second.