Using a metronome

toyrtle

toyrtle

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So, I bought a metronome because someone told me that it would help me with keeping time. So I strum along to the rhythm and that's all good - BUT how do I adjust the metronome when I am playing my songs? Some of my music has the beat number at the top.

Is there some trick to picking out the beat?

What other exercises can I do on the metronome to make me an awesome player?
 
Tell us more about your metronome. Is it mechanical? Electronic?

If you're a beginner then I wouldn't worry about necessarily setting it to the same BPM tempo as sheet music dictates. The important thing is to use it as a reference to ensure that you develop solid rhythm regardless of how fast or how slow you're playing.

Possibly the best way to do that is to use the metronome as near to constantly as you can. Use it when you're learning to play a new song, when you're working on strumming or picking patterns, when you're working on scales, arpeggios, chord-changes.

Playing along with recordings has similar benefits. It gives you a reference for your rhythm.

Another thing I find important is to maintain a steady up-down-up-down when you strum That is true for nearly all strum patterns. Although some patterns sound kind of irregular and jerky, your actual strumming hand should still maintain a metronome-like tick-tock, up-down. The variation comes from having strokes where you miss hitting the strings more than from interrupting the strum rhythm of your hand.

Sorry if that doesn't read very clearly. Some simple things are much harder to describe than to show.
 
Thanks for your reply!

It is a mechanical metronome with the arm that goes back and forth.

So I should not bother doing any fancy strumming, just stick to up and down?

If I am playing along to a song, how do I know what tempo to use?
 
The mechanical metronomes I've seen have a weight that can be slid up and down the arm that swings back and forth, thus changing the speed, or tempo.
 
Yep, that's the one that I have exactly. There are all the italian names for tempo along with the numbers along the edge.
 
  • If you're playing along with a recording of a song, then you don't need to use the metronome at all. The song itself is (hopefully) giving you a steady tempo.
  • If you're playing sheet music by yourself (not playing along with a recording), and that sheet music has the tempo marking on it, then just slide your metronome to that number. If your metronome doesn't have that exact number, just get as close as you can. The number, by the way, represents the number of beats (ticks) per minute, sometimes called BPM.
  • Some music (mostly classical) doesn't have the exact tempo number on it, but it will have an Italian tempo marking, like "Presto" or "Adagio". You just have to get "in the ballpark" for that. That's how they used to do it before metronomes were invented! Your metronome has the Italian tempos on it, but you can also Google to find suggested BPM to set your metronome to.
  • If you're playing a song by yourself, without a record, and without a written tempo, then you'll have to figure out the tempo yourself. As buddhu said, you don't have to worry about getting that tempo exactly right... the import thing is that it's a steady rhythm. But you should be able to tell if it's way too slow or way too fast. It's a trial-and-error thing.
    • For some reason, it's a bit easier to tell when the tempo setting is off if you sing. :D
    • There are programs and webpages that will let you tap out a tempo, and will then tell you the BPM. Here's one. Give it a shot.
  • IMO, you don't necessarily have to only practice a simple down-up strum. But you should be able to play one smoothly, in tempo, before worrying about getting too fancy. You gotta walk before you can run, and D-U-D-U is the strumming equivalent of walking.
 
Ukulele JJ said:
[...]IMO, you don't necessarily have to only practice a simple down-up strum. But you should be able to play one smoothly, in tempo, before worrying about getting too fancy. You gotta walk before you can run, and D-U-D-U is the strumming equivalent of walking.
[...]
Click to expand...

I don't think I was clear on that point. I actually agree with JJ that you don't need to stick to just D U D U D U D U patterns. It's the continuation of the regular motion regardless of pattern that is important.

What I mean is that, for example, if you are playing a D - - U - U D U pattern your hand would keep moving as if you were playing D U D U D U D U , but you wouldn't hit the strings on the beats that are underlined, even though your hand kept the regular rhythm going without interuption. I.e., you wouldn't pause your hand between the first D and the first U. It would do two silent 'mime' strum strokes before hitting that U.

That regular, uninterrupted movement is, IMHO, the key for a beginner to build solid rhythm.

Apologies for my crap explanations. :eek:
 
Okay - I think this is starting to make sense.

I play along with the metronome and use it to make sure that I don't alternate my tempos too much.

I can do my regular strums, but make sure that my hand action matches the metronome action.....

I am also interested in how it works when you sing, I will have to try that as well.

THanks for the tips!
 
You got it. :)

That approach worked solidly for me, and I've heard it described by guitar and mando teachers, but others may see things differently.

Singing? Can't help you there. I sing very badly, and multitask even worse!
 
Holy wow, I suck at sticking to a tempo.

It kinda works when I'm just strumming down in a single chord, but as soon as I try to strum DU things go south real quick.

So far it's the hardest part of uke practice for me, I guess I just gotta keep working on it.

Edit: Haha, playing along with the metronome actually makes my brain hurt.
 
Last edited:
The other aspect of playing with a metronome is that it requires you to listen. To listen and to play along with something else. This is in itself the most important ability to develop as a musician if you're ever going to play with other folks.

And it is hard. I'm notoriously bad at keeping an even tempo. I like to practice with the metronome a little slower than regular speed since my tendency is to play like a freight train going downhill. It helps me articulate the places where what I'm doing causes me to speed things up.
 
I hate to get all "inner game" here, but... don't worry so much about playing in tempo when you play.

Instead, try just noticing the click of the metronome when you play. Don't judge whether you're in time or not. Simply pay attention to the fact that the metromome is clicking. Make that your focus--not your strum, not your fretting hand.

Notice how the click sounds (Dull? Metallic? Loud?). Are the spaces between clicks even? That sort of thing.

Another thing you might try is just tapping on the back of your uke in time with the metronome. Start with a tap for every click. Then try two taps for each click (with your "second" tap being right in-between clicks). That's basically the same rhythm you're playing when you do a D-U-D-U, only you don't have to worry about the mechanics of actually strumming. Make sure you can do that reasonably well before working on the strumming.

:shaka:

JJ
 
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