Metronomes: The Key To Nailing One-Takes

Metronomes are boring. Why do we even have them? Let’s throw them out.

What? No! Metronomes are extremely important to being able to stay on time to deliver the emotion the song is calling for to its highest degree. They may be boring, but wow do they make a difference in your playing and the emotion you can deliver. Here’s why you should be practicing with a metronome.

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More Impact And Emotion

No, you won’t sound like a robot by practicing and playing with a metronome; in fact it’s quite the opposite! Playing with a metronome will build you control in your playing, allowing you to deliver whatever emotion you need for the song. The emotion you portray though playing is dictated mostly by two things: time and dynamics.

Messing around with the timing of your playing can excite different emotions; for example, playing fast/slightly ahead of the beat can make it sound like you’re excited, and slow/behind the beat can make it sound… lazy? Not a very good description but it’ll do. If you have more control over your timing, and you can decide to be behind or ahead of the beat, this can help you shape the sound!

When playing with a metronome, it’s easy to focus on not only timing, but also your dynamics; how hard or soft you’re playing. It will dictate your tone. Playing lightly can make the sound soft and delicate, and playing hard can be impactful and emotional.

Playing out of time can really throw off the vibe of the song and make it sound amateur; yes, forcing each note to play exactly on the grid can take away emotion, but no human can be this exact without the help of software! So generally, the more you can stay on time the more you can aid in the groove of the song.

Metronomes Help With Mistakes

The key to nailing a part in one take is practicing with a metronome. Not only practicing it at normal tempo, but also fast and slow as well.

It may seem silly to practice it slower than normal, but it really does help. It will make you fight against your tendency to rush, and be exactly on beat. In some instances, you can only play some parts at normal speed, and when slowed down it becomes more difficult; practice it at a slow speed so you can have more control when it’s brought back up to speed!

Practicing with a faster tempo has obvious benefits; if you can play a fast part even faster, it’ll make the normal tempo even easier. It’ll show you where your hard to nail parts are by exposing them in an even bigger light! If you can nail it at a faster speed, you should be able to nail it at a slower speed; just make sure to practice at all speeds for the most control!

Practicing With A Metronome Helps Your Bandmates

If you’re on time, it’s easier for them to be on time, simple as that. It especially helps when your bandmates depend on your track after you when recording; they’ll have to listen and play to that track. If it’s way off time, it’ll be hard to get in a groove and support the emotion of the song.

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The best part about practicing with metronomes and especially with exercises, is it will exponentially help you the more you practice. Other songs with the same or similar rhythms will benefit from those exercises, and it’s generally just easier to stay in time whenever you play. I know it can be boring, but if you can find a way to make it fun or stick with it, it really helps you a tremendous amount. So if you do happen to use it, tell your bandmates to do the same! Your tightness on stage and pockets when recording will thank you :)

If you'd like more tips on preparing for your best performance possible, check out the checklist I've made for preparing for the studio, which includes practicing with a metronome among other things! You can find it at the blog homepage here!

-Michael