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Chris98
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My first metronome was a cheap digital device that I grew to hate, okay ‘hate’ might be a bit strong but it quickly fell out of favour and was relegated to the drawer. To be fair it did everything it was supposed to do and did it well and accurately but the electronic beep it emitted grated on me and it lacked the volume I needed.
I’ve found regular use of a metronome has helped my playing particularly when playing unaccompanied. I have a habit of slowing down for hard parts and speeding up on the easier parts, the metronome keeps me honest! It also ensures that I notice when I’ve skipped a rest or lengthened or shortened a note, it can be infuriating but I know it’s doing me good.
I’ve always been attracted to the "Pyramid" type of metronome and associated them with musical families as they often adorned the top of the piano or were placed like a paperweight on top of some incredibly complicated looking score. Investigating them further I quickly became sold on the idea of getting one. They are mechanical, running off a wound spring, which means no batteries, the click is a real chunky click that is loud enough but not unbearable, and I have to confess to liking the look of them.
Using it could not be more simple, the spring is wound by the key in the side of the case, I’ve not timed the running time but it seems to last a good while.
To set the tempo you slide the pendulum weight up or down the pendulum until the top of the weight aligns with desired tempo as marked on the scale inside the case.
Then you unclip the pendulum, swing it over to one side and let it go, it will swing back and forth at that tempo until you stop it or the spring winds down.
I went for the optional bell model that has a small sliding switch to set the beat on which the bell will chime, this can be set to every 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 6th beat or not at all when pushed all the way in.
I’ve found nothing that I’ve not liked about the metronome since getting it, the only down side I can imagine is if you need to travel regularly with your metronome, in which case it might be a bit big, but for home use it’s great.
Pic of the inner workings:
All Photographs by Chris98
I’ve found regular use of a metronome has helped my playing particularly when playing unaccompanied. I have a habit of slowing down for hard parts and speeding up on the easier parts, the metronome keeps me honest! It also ensures that I notice when I’ve skipped a rest or lengthened or shortened a note, it can be infuriating but I know it’s doing me good.
I’ve always been attracted to the "Pyramid" type of metronome and associated them with musical families as they often adorned the top of the piano or were placed like a paperweight on top of some incredibly complicated looking score. Investigating them further I quickly became sold on the idea of getting one. They are mechanical, running off a wound spring, which means no batteries, the click is a real chunky click that is loud enough but not unbearable, and I have to confess to liking the look of them.
To set the tempo you slide the pendulum weight up or down the pendulum until the top of the weight aligns with desired tempo as marked on the scale inside the case.
Then you unclip the pendulum, swing it over to one side and let it go, it will swing back and forth at that tempo until you stop it or the spring winds down.
I’ve found nothing that I’ve not liked about the metronome since getting it, the only down side I can imagine is if you need to travel regularly with your metronome, in which case it might be a bit big, but for home use it’s great.
Pic of the inner workings:
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