Piano Metronome: The Complete Guide
A piano metronome is a small practice partner: it plays a steady beat and you play along with it until the rhythm settles into your hands. Students, teachers and experienced pianists all use one. In this guide we explain what its numbers mean, which types there are, and how to make it a natural part of playing.
One beat, a lot of confidence
When you play alone it is easy to rush the passages your hands know and slow down in the challenging ones. The metronome holds the pulse in place, so you see exactly where the tempo starts to move. Teachers at the Eastman School of Music suggest listening to a few beats before you start, so the pulse reaches the ear first and the fingers second. Yamaha suggests seeing the metronome as a playing partner, not just something you listen to.
What the number means
Tempo is measured in beats per minute, BPM: 60 is one beat each second, and 120 is two beats per second. A mechanical metronome usually ranges from 40 to 208. The Italian tempo words on the score translate to ranges like these, for example Adagio around 44 to 66, Andante 56 to 108 and Allegro 120 to 156. Johann Maelzel patented the mechanical metronome in 1815, based on an idea by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel, and Beethoven was the first notable composer to write metronome numbers in his scores. That is why the marking M.M., short for Maelzel's Metronome, sometimes appears at the top of a piece. More on that period in the history of the piano.
Mechanical or digital
In a mechanical metronome a pendulum swings from side to side, and a small weight on the rod sets the speed: the higher it sits, the slower the swing. It runs without batteries, and its movement gives the eye a pulse to follow. At Zohar Pianos you will find the classic mechanical metronome with beats of 0, 2, 3, 4 and 6, the pyramid metronome in a wood finish with a bell that marks the start of the bar, and the mini mechanical metronome that fits easily into a lesson bag.
A digital metronome adds a screen and precise control of tempo and meter. The clip-on digital metronome attaches to the music stand and has a headphone output for quiet practice, and the metronome with a tuner also includes a tuner for guitar, violin and other instruments at home. There are also digital pianos with a built-in metronome, for example the Kawai CA901.
How to practice with it
Choose a tempo at which the passage comes out clean, even if it is half the marked tempo or less. According to Yamaha, move on when the passage succeeds about four times out of five, then raise the tempo in small steps. In a slow piece you can set the metronome to double, for example 100 instead of 50, so each beat divides in two. Once the tempo feels natural, keep the beat only at the start of the bar and let your inner sense fill in the rest. A few minutes a day are enough to begin, and if you are coming back to the piano after a break, the metronome helps rebuild the pulse step by step. We wrote about what this practice gives the mind and hands in the benefits of playing the piano.
Zohar Pianos, Ben Atar 28
At our store and gallery at Ben Atar 28 you can sit at a piano, try the metronomes side by side and feel which one suits the way you practice. We will gladly show you how to set each one and help you choose a piano that will stay with you for years. We are here for you.
Links: The history of the piano · Digital piano · Coming back to the piano · The benefits of playing the piano · Piano keys
FAQ
What tempo should I start practicing at with a metronome?
At a tempo where the passage comes out clean, even if it is half the marked tempo. From there, raise it gradually in small steps.
What is the difference between a mechanical and a digital metronome?
A mechanical metronome works with a pendulum and a spring, without batteries. A digital metronome adds a screen, precise control of tempo and meter, and sometimes a headphone output.
What does M.M. mean in sheet music?
Short for Maelzel's Metronome. It is followed by a note value and a number, for example 60, that tells you how many beats there are per minute.
Does a digital piano have a metronome?
Some models have a built-in metronome, for example the Kawai CA901, so you practice with it straight from the instrument. It is worth checking the specifications of the model you are interested in.