Stop fearing the metronome and start having fun when you practice guitar with it! Seriously, if rhythm and timing is what you need to work on, you gotta learn how to play with a metronome.
★ Learn more about starting your Guitar Journey: https://tonypolecastro.com/
★ FOLLOW on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tac.guitar/
In this video, you’ll see five steps to help you understand timing and how to easily play with a metronome. Learning how to play with a metronome is key to learning rhythm and timing. Neglect it, and you’ll be fighting an uphill battle — trust me!
For each of these lessons, you’ll see I play with a metronome and the different practicing techniques I use to have fun while working on my timing.
One of my favorite exercises, “Boil the Frog,” will have you increasing the beats per minute (bpm) by tiny increments, so that you barely notice that the tempo is increasing. Don’t miss this exercise!
After we cover how to play with a metronome without wanting to smash your guitar, you’ll get to hear from TAC Family member Sarah and how she uses TAC to see consistent fun, focus, and progress.
Last but not least, we’ll cover acoustic guitar news you can use. This includes a heartfelt announcement, a new building to be on the lookout for courtesy of Eddie’s Guitars.
Over the years of playing by myself, I only played how I felt at that time. As, I started to go back in the recording studio I could no longer keep time. Somebody always listens, I said “I need to keep time again”. Next thing I know I’m Chorister at church. I force to start keeping time.
Hey Tony,
You and the show are awesome. Regarding playing with the metronome, my biggest challenge is that I don’t really understand what time signature’s are. I get 4/4 but 3/4, and some of the other more rare time signatures really throw me off. Maybe you could shed a little bit of light on this subject for me.
Thanks alot.
Chris in Northern California.
Good show. I have long struggled with tempo. Drives people around me batty when we play or sing together.
I use the metronome every day. I start at say 80 BPM, increase by 5 BPM to 85 then to 90 and finally 95. Before I stop, I play at 85 BPM, which seems really easy after doing it at 95. I start at 85 the next day or when I feel comfortable at that speed.
Been a fan of Stanley Jordan for years, check out his version of Bolero, AWESOME!
Hi Tony, The metronome is intimating for sure. The phone app seems comprehensive but I still find it hard to follow. When I get off beat it all goes down hill from there. I believe rhythm is the the most important thing in learning to play well. Seems I can sing to the beat and find the beat in songs no problem but, when it comes to putting it together the trouble starts. I’ve had a couple of guitars for years but never made real progress till I got the Yamaha FG-820 a few years ago. I just got a Seagull Performer Flame Maple Ac/E. But I’m still not there yet.
I purchased one several months ago and never really figured out how to use it. Thanks for the important lessons. i will put into my routine everyday.
I tried to use the metronome to learn a guitar lick; clearly I needed do the 5 steps first!
Definitely staying in sink with the moment. It was definitely intimidating when first approached. Now just staying in sink.
Tony, I have noticed that if I have a piece memorized that the metronome quickly points out where I don’t have it totally in my fingers! These are the spots where I am loosing the rhythm that I did not realized! So wow, now I know to slow down the metronome to get over those rough spots or where my fingering is not quite there yet.
Thanks for the tips!
I must admit that I have owned a metronome for many years but gave up using it virtually from the off. I couldn’t get in sync with it at all, and I was convinced that it was the metronome that was out of time, not me, lol!! I was trying to play chords/songs to the metronome and it just didn’t work. I am excited about using the dead strums and single notes with the metronome and intend to incorporate the 10 minute, take a break in my practice sessions. Thanks Tony.
My issue with the metronome it the fact that I don’t know beats pre minutes for every song I play. Is there a site to get that information?? That would be helpful:)
Hey Tony. loved the Metronome points. You should take the videos or make new ones in more details on working with a Metronome as one of your skill classes.
Tony-
First off— Thanks for today’s metronome lesson- great advice.
You asked for comments– Hard to explain, but for me- the hardest thing about the metronome is that it seems like my brain has to be in two places at once. One place is the tab or lesson/screen where my EYES are focused/ the other is the sound of the metronome- where my EARS are focused. My brain is split- doing two SEPARATE things at once. And on top of that- it is trying to make these two jobs be IN SYNC.
Divide and conquer? Maybe it’s just a matter of practicing/working on ONE of those tasks until I have it almost unconsciously-automatic, to the point where my brain doesn’t have to focus at all on THAT task.
Maybe that would allow my brain to just focus on the one task that’s left- (whichever one it may be)- just like a “regular” playing session.
For me– the metronome is the best “constant”- (because the MUSIC I’m playing changes of course)- so I’m thinking my best plan is to “bury myself” in the metronome- using it all the time- (10 mins per session at the start!)- THAT’S the one I think I’ll work on until it is just second-nature/automatic/part of “normal”.
PLEASE let me know if I’ve got this all wrong- (it wouldn’t surprise me- and you won’t hurt my feelings).
I realize it’s gonna be ugly at the start, but over time, I expect it to become easier- (automatic).
Thanks again- this time for “hittin’ the reset button” on my metronome philosophy and use!
Mark Johnson
Another great lesson.
I have taken “The Annihilator” warm-up, walk it up the fretboard one fret per pass, and now I am going to do this with the metronome !
Thanks Tony