Using a metronome?

Dominik Gräber · Nov 24, 2019

Hey Guys. Lately I started practicing with a metronome, right now I am practicing the alternate picking 1 lesson.

But I am a little confused on how to use it correctly or most efficiently.
For example, alternate Picking 1 is 3 notes per String, so I started playing 3 notes per beat, because this is the easiest for me to follow. But on the high e you play 5 notes so I get Out of rhythm.

Any tips on this or the General use of a metronome?

idssdi · Nov 24, 2019

It's is important to understand rhythmic notation. Whole note, halve note, quarter note, 8th notes, 16th notes etc. Also doublets, triplets, sextuplets and quintets. Basically, alternate picking etude I is in sextuplets which means there are six notes per beat.

I personally can't read which notes I'm supposed to play in classical notation but I do know how to read the lengths of the individual notes in classical notation.

Dominik Gräber · Nov 24, 2019

Ids Schiere said:
It's is important to understand rhythmic notation. Whole note, halve note, quarter note, 8th notes, 16th notes etc. Also doublets, triplets, sextuplets and quintets. Basically, alternate picking etude I is in sextuplets which means there are six notes per beat.

I personally can't read which notes I'm supposed to play in classical notation but I do know how to read the lengths of the individual notes in classical notation.

If it's 6 notes per beat then that still means that the String Change isn't in synch with the beat anymore after the 5 notes on the high e. Hope you get what I mean.
That really makes practicing to the beat hard to me

idssdi · Nov 24, 2019

String changes don't have to be on the beat and they rarely are tbh. Just take it per section and out the metronome at a very slow tempo to practice the string changes.

Dominik Gräber · Nov 24, 2019

Gotta fool around with it later, thanks!

Calvin Phillips · Nov 24, 2019

Dont think of the notes as groups. They are NOT triplets. I believe these exercises are all singular (if they are triplets the tab will show). But it's the total notes in the run you should be counting. Not per string. The alternate picking means you'll go back and forth everytime so you shouldnt need to worry about how many notes there are since it's the same exercise. IF it was let's say economy picking I could understand the string count. I think you are just over complicating it a little for yourself.

Calvin Phillips · Nov 24, 2019

Ids post says they are groups. In 6s. I'd worry about the grouping after you get the exercise down. Worry about the pattern before the timing of it. Timing can come EASY ESPECIALLY with the metronome. It counts for you.

idssdi · Nov 24, 2019

Calvin Phillips said:
Ids post says they are groups. In 6s. I'd worry about the grouping after you get the exercise down. Worry about the pattern before the timing of it. Timing can come EASY ESPECIALLY with the metronome. It counts for you.

I think you're wrong there. If you set the metronome at an incredibly slow BPM you can perfectly fine get familiar with the lick/riff/song/pattern while still playing in time. There's a reason Syn says to ALWAYS practice with a metronome but to each their own of course

Dominik Gräber · Nov 24, 2019

Probably both is right. You should at least get the finger position right and be able to play the notes before worrying about groups OR timing. Then the metronome surely is the best way to go. Having said that, @Ids Schiere your comment about the group of six actually helped me a lot. I understand the timing better now although I feel I have to start over again from a way slower bpm.

Calvin Phillips · Nov 24, 2019

I never once said not to use the metronome. I said to not worry about the idea of triplets and co fusing yourself by playing more then you can handle. It's a lot harder to play 3 sets of 3s then it is to learn 9 singles. In the end you'll do both but why try to add to what you cant already do. You didnt understand what I was trying to say there. That could be my fault tho cause I'm not the greatest at explanations.

Lucas Weiman · Nov 24, 2019

Calvin Phillips said:
Ids post says they are groups. In 6s. I'd worry about the grouping after you get the exercise down. Worry about the pattern before the timing of it. Timing can come EASY ESPECIALLY with the metronome. It counts for you.

I totally agree. Practice perfect finger movement before practicing timing. That way, you have to go back and fix bad habits less. I wish I would have learned that sooner!

Yea and what Ids said, string changes usually aren't on beat, it's the music itself you need to worry about being on-beat, not the mechanics.

A basic yet essential technique to apply to a metronome is called chunking. Especially in faster runs, it is essential that you know which notes in a longer phrase are on beat. Here is a good video that explains this, I remember it from a long time ago, and it helped me out a lot then! Good luck. Fast forward to 5:58 for the chunking lesson

Dominik Gräber · Nov 24, 2019

Lucas Weiman said:
I totally agree. Practice perfect finger movement before practicing timing. That way, you have to go back and fix bad habits less. I wish I would have learned that sooner!

Yea and what Ids said, string changes usually aren't on beat, it's the music itself you need to worry about being on-beat, not the mechanics.

A basic yet essential technique to apply to a metronome is called chunking. Especially in faster runs, it is essential that you know which notes in a longer phrase are on beat. Here is a good video that explains this, I remember it from a long time ago, and it helped me out a lot then! Good luck. Fast forward to 5:58 for the chunking lesson

That definetly helps too. Thanks!

Calvin Phillips · Nov 25, 2019

If you've watched any of my improvs with the caged system. I'm not really playing fast at ALL. What I'm doing is playing slower and learning the positions. The first few have tons of slips at the slow speed too. But gaining the strength helped me get it down. I can down sweep a ton faster then I could a month ago. Up sweeps are different (may have those backwards). Mainly cause it's really easy to drag your wrist. Pushing is a whole other story. But thanks to my finger work I can do some sweeps I never thought possible.

Firsty Lasty · Nov 25, 2019

My basic approach to using a metronome is to use it as an ally, not as an adversary. What that means is two things. First, I use a drum track instead of clicks so that it is easy to feel the rhythm. It should be as easy as possible for you to hear when each note should be played. Second, I practice at a speed slow enough to focus on what I'm doing. The beat helps me keep time while I spend my attention on actually playing. I don't like to practice by setting the metronome to a difficult speed and trying to race to keep up with it.

As for triplets and sixteenth notes and whatever, break it down into pieces until you're ready to practice it in its original rhythmic form.

Dominik Gräber · Nov 26, 2019

Firsty Lasty said:
My basic approach to using a metronome is to use it as an ally, not as an adversary. What that means is two things. First, I use a drum track instead of clicks so that it is easy to feel the rhythm. It should be as easy as possible for you to hear when each note should be played. Second, I practice at a speed slow enough to focus on what I'm doing. The beat helps me keep time while I spend my attention on actually playing. I don't like to practice by setting the metronome to a difficult speed and trying to race to keep up with it.

As for triplets and sixteenth notes and whatever, break it down into pieces until you're ready to practice it in its original rhythmic form.

Logic. That's what I do, although I don't practice to drum Tracks.

Join the A7X Discord!

Using a metronome?

Hot Topic Tourer

Sold-out Crowd Surfer

Hot Topic Tourer

Sold-out Crowd Surfer

Hot Topic Tourer

Music Theory Bragger

Music Theory Bragger

Sold-out Crowd Surfer

Hot Topic Tourer

Music Theory Bragger

Free Bird Player

Hot Topic Tourer

Music Theory Bragger

New Student

Hot Topic Tourer

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency