Practicing With A Metronome

It is extremely important when practicing the exercises in these courses to use a metronome. A metronome is important for establishing the Tempo of the music and allowing you to hear when your playing is “in time” as the notes you play line up with the clicks of the metronome. Establishing a sense of internal time is very important to developing your overall musicianship, and a metronome is very helpful in establishing a “feel” for the music you are practicing.

One of the best ways to get comfortable using a metronome is simply to clap along with the tempo. Once you are clapping along with the metronome comfortably, you can switch to your guitar to connect the playing movement with the metronome’s tempo.

It is also strongly encouraged to count the tempo while playing guitar, which could be realized by stomping your foot (preferably the foot of the opposite leg that the guitar is resting on), or another movement that is comfortable for you to make while playing the instrument. This will allow you to “feel” the tempo internally while playing. This takes a long time to develop but is invaluable to becoming a well-rounded musician.