Using the Metronome

Preface (skip if this isn’t your first time here): 

THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW ANYTHING USEFUL ABOUT THE GUITAR!

It’s because no one either showed them anything useful or they never found out the basics of playing guitar.

DON’T BE LIKE THEM! 

Here we are going to talk about those guitar basics in bite-sized chunks. 

Hopefully, this will give you everything necessary to understand how to play the instrument, fix any flaws in your playing, and form ideas on how to change things up in your technique. 

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A metronome is the most annoying and helpful device in the world! 

The constant clicking telling you whether you’re in time or not, can drive you mad. However, it will give you an idea of what a beat is and how to play consistently with it. 

Download the ProMetronome app or use the metronome in the GuitarTuna app. Either one works. The ProMetronome app has more customizability. 

We’re going to use the metronome by setting the beats/clicks to 60. That just means that there’s 60 beats per minute. If you set it to 600, it would mean that there would be 600 beats per minute. So at 60, that’s one beat per second. 

Set it to 60 and play the open E string eight times (once per click). This would be eight quarter notes.

Now let’s try half notes. Remember that half notes last for two beats. So you’re only going to play on every other click (see the example below). 

Okay now for whole notes (they equal four beats). 

If you can do all of these try out the three mixed examples below. Start at 60 with the metronome. Once you can do that easily, try messing with the metronome speed. Maybe try 90 beats, then 120, then 150. Hey maybe 180. 

Now you know how to use the metronome!