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practicing with a metronome


xiaoken

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Posted

I've started using one recently, and I find that at slow bpms, 92 for example, stuff that I could usually play with no problems become difficult. Difficult in the sense that I'll often hit wrong strings, accidentally touch other strings, play a note too soft etc etc.

 

Whats up with this?:(

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Posted

its just that you are now playing against/with a tool that keeps accurate time.

it really is different than when playing alone, because you have a reference to time- and you hear when you are off.

as for the hitting wrong strings/notes, i dont know. maybe your "playing under pressure" from the metronome. keep using it though, its a great tool to have.

i used to feel the same way when i started playing with backing tracks of bass & drums. crazy train sounded perfect to me when playing it alone, then when playing it with bass and drums i realised how much work it needed. especially with the timing, but also the emphasis on certain notes.

keep at it-you'll get it

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Posted

Yes keep using the metronome it will help you a lot. I used to have the same problem, i guess its just your under pressure because you have to play in time, i hit wrong notes all the time when playing with a metronome because im more worried about keeping time then the notes being played. It takes a lot of practice to get good with practicing with a metronome. keep at it and ya'll eventually get it.

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Posted

You say that you could play stuff with no problems without the metronome, but I bet that there was a problem--you were not playing them in proper time. Also, this exercise will help your concentration. Keep it up!

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Congratulations......You've taken a big step closer to becoming a good player. Your metronome is your best friend......it will always be truthful. That's why you're having trouble...it's telling you that you really didn't know how to play the piece correctly. Slow it down even more, until you can play it perfectly. Then bring the speed up one click at a time, making sure you can play it perfectly before you increase the speed again. Always practice new material with the metronome that way, even if it's ''easy" to play. While you're doing it slowly, don't overlook using a clean, accurate alternate picking technique. Once you've practiced that way for a week or two, you won't have to use as much effort concentrating on playing in time with it.....it will just function as a speed control for you......and that means keeping your speed down just as much as keeping it up.

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Posted

Originally posted by 555

Congratulations......You've taken a big step closer to becoming a good player. Your metronome is your best friend......it will always be truthful. That's why you're having trouble...it's telling you that you really didn't know how to play the piece correctly. Slow it down even more, until you can play it perfectly. Then bring the speed up one click at a time, making sure you can play it perfectly before you increase the speed again. Always practice new material with the metronome that way, even if it's ''easy" to play. While you're doing it slowly, don't overlook using a clean, accurate alternate picking technique. Once you've practiced that way for a week or two, you won't have to use as much effort concentrating on playing in time with it.....it will just function as a speed control for you......and that means keeping your speed down just as much as keeping it up.

 

 

This is excellent advice. Doing this will take you from being an alright guitarist to being a good guitarist.

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Posted

Another thing the nome can teach you is to relax into a tempo. Set the nome for a tempo and start playing. Now notice that the music, the rhythm, the swing, goes on without you doing anything. Learn to let go of the need to drive the music. It's great to drive the music too but it's bad to have to do it in order to swing.

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