The Metronome
A metronome is a mechanical or electronic device that divides time into equal beats by producing a ticking or bleeping sound. The number of beats per minute is adjustable so that you can vary the speed at which you wish to play a piece of music.
The metronome has three functions:
- It indicates what tempo a tune should be played at by sounding the number of beats per minute. E.g., 3 = 60: in this case it tells us that a beat (quarter note) is exactly one second.
- It acts as a control for your timing so that you don’t rush or slow down during your playing.
- It helps you by gradually increasing the tempo on the number scale until you can play at the desired speed.