hi folks , im a flute learner and after recording myself i realised my rhythm is all over the place , so I got myslef a digital metronome. I used the preset triple time and 4/4 time for jigs and reels obviously enough and then realised it helped me to play like a robot!
what I do now is just use it to play on the ONE ( of the 1 2 3 or 1 2 3 4 ) and it seems better.
Is this how folks tend to use metronomes for ITM?
Any tricks Im missing here?
Thanks.
Passing on good advice that I was given, on reels put the metronome on the up-beat and practice that way.
–James
I have also found that when you relax and play right on the beat the sound of the metronome disappears. It is strange but at that point you know it is being played perfectly in time. It also sounds less robotic.
Kurt
I would urge you to put the metronome away as it detracts you from developing a nice rhythm in the long run. Why is this happening? I can’t say for sure but I suspect that its because you, as a relative beginner to the music, are trying to fit the phrasing of the music into a fixed external framework of metronome clicks and that doesn’t work so well. You’re already noticing the most detrimental side effect of metronome playing already - robotic music. If you keep up with it it will become a habit which you will have trouble getting rid of.
What I would suggest is to slow down your playing until your awareness of it is increased. Then, play your tune slowly while keeping awareness of speeding up or slowing down midtune. This way you are gradually creating an internally developed steady tempo, built around the temporal consistency of your phrasing patterns. It allows the beginner to improve tempo steadiness while priviledging the development of good phrasing, which is a major factor of why this music is lively.
Many people also use things like tapping to assist with keeping tempo. How’s this different from using a metronome you might ask? Its different because the tapping is still controlled internally by you. You are not really trying to fit the notes to a foot that goes on automatically by itself, instead it becomes just a physical manifestation of the main beat of your phrasing.
Yeah so thats a lot of wordy stuff. But the take-home message is stop metronoming and work on playing with more awareness.
Eld, great post!
Agree 100%.
–James
This person most likely means well, and his playing reflects the instrument proficiency of someone who has spent time playing flute (2 decades in his case). However the way he plays Irish music validates my point.
your point is a good one eldarion, however david cantieni, the player in the video, has an equally valid point as well, esp. for someone who would like to make a metronome a friend. you may not like how he plays, your taste is obviously personal, and so is david’s. he is adept as a player of contra dance music and appears to be a good teacher as well.
personally i don’t use a metronome but that is neither here nor there. i can see the possibility it could help someone who would want it to work for them. the video is a clear demonstration of this possibility.
The metronome was obviously not his friend, as evinced by his playing. In fact I would say its a textbook example of what you end up with by approaching Irish music the way he does, over a long period of time. I am aware that stylistic taste is personal but this in my opinion is not a matter of style at all, unless you can call playing that is less-than-good a style.
I don’t know anything about contra dance music nor did I have anything personal against the person in the video. But propagating disadvantageous paradigms to the music, like it or not, is doing diservice to beginners.
I think the fella’s playing ha s lot going for it, and with just a few things could be made quite pleasant to listen to.
His rolls are even to the point of being out of rhythm; there is no lilt or flow to his playing. However, that may not be his normal way to play; after all, this was a kind of lesson, and a demonstration of his way to use a metronome.
There also was no drive or pulse to his playing; as my wife pointed out, his playing as demonstrated in this clip sounds very flat and mechanical. Kind of like…well…a metronome, not to press the point.
Having never heard the fella play outside the context of this one clip, I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt and think that this is not how he normally plays.
Perhaps he should have played a reel or something sans metronome and really just cut loose a bit.
Add some drive and pulse and lilt, and it could be quite nice.
–James
I think this segment has a better example of his playing:
http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/irish-flute-practice-speed-increase.htm
Take with a grain of salt…
The thing that I have found with my metronome is that at first it was forced in the way it felt, but once I had rhythm and consistency down I could play outside of the beat and yet keep the over all tempo. I found it a usefull tool.
here’s another clip of david from sweetheart flute’s website, playing a sweetheart flute
http://www.sweetheartflute.com/sounds/Firth-Pond1.mp3
Both of those were quite nice. 
–James
Have you tried playing along with recordings? I do that sometimes. If it’s too fast, you can get a slowdowner program or something.
That’s a very good idea.
Also, if you have a local session, but you’re not yet ready to join in, take a recorder and record the session, then you can play with the recording at your leisure to get solid on the tunes.
Even after you join in the circle, record the sessions. If someone brings in a new tune, having a recording of it will let you learn to play it the way they play it, instead of trying to find it online where the setting you find may or may not work well with the original.
–James
Hey All -
Regarding David Cantieni’s videos –
I am NOT an unbiased voice in this matter, as he is a friend of mine and my teacher, but I do suggest before judging someone’s playing you should take a listen to something besides these teaching videos, or even a short sound clip on a flute-maker’s site.
Slowing something down to the point of making it perfect but mechanical is not a goal, but A (but not necessarily THE) means to better technique. From there, you can add all the heart you want.
As the local TV station says, “that’s our opinion, we welcome yours.” (Only I actually mean it!)
L.
Trouble with playing along to recordings is you can think you’re great cos Mr Molloy sounds so great. The test is probably to record what you’re doing while playing along, so that Mr Molloy stays out of the mix. An interesting thing to do is to start with your metrognome and then get someone to stop it while continuing to play and to record the result. Then see where, how, when and if you and the metronome are still in sync, when you play back the recording. A metronome doesn’t always fix internal rhythm problems - slow yourself down and listen to that. That’s kinda revealing. But then who am I to judge, Judy?
I have a small metronome, and, if I use it, I use it much more when I am NOT actually playing.
A metronome is useful in getting a tune organised, to the player, especially a tune that is new to the player. My usual approach is to switch the metronome on and then find the actual meter, or speed, of a tune. By having the metronome on, while listening, while reading a score, or while simply working from memory, I can more easily “see” the tones, and the rests, on, and between, the beats, which helps me to better, and more quickly, understand the structure of a tune. Of course, temporarily reducing the metronome’s speed, to make that job easier, until the player is up to speed, is OK.
All that, BEFORE picking up the flute!
Then, sometimes (and only sometimes), I play the tune with the metronome on, at some comfortable speed, for maybe the first few times through it, but no more than that. Or, and to agree with some of the earlier comments on this thread, I switch the metronome off, before it gets in the way.
When working a tune up to speed, a few seconds with a metronome can tell how much progress has been made. And, a metronome can tell if the player is going too fast (Yes, it can happen.).
tap, tap, tap … tap your foot.
when listening,
when learning,
when playing.
sure, there ain’t no rules and do what you please but doing the above is a pretty much all you need.