The Metronome Doesn't Lie

Recently I introduced one of my piano students to the dreaded metronome. I'm confident it will help her improve, but I also know exactly how difficult and painful it is to be constantly subjected to the relentless tick-tick-tick of this infernal but essential device. For those who have made their peace with the metronome, I applaud you. For everyone else, I offer the following advice:

1) The metronome doesn't lie

While a good piano teacher can provide great feedback about a variety of topics during a lesson, most students only see their piano teachers once a week and are on their own the other six days. As someone who struggles with rhythm, I've learned that the metronome doesn't lie. I either pressed the right keys at the right time, or I didn't. When I practice without a metronome, I often think I'm playing a passage correctly, but then discover when attempting to follow the beat of the metronome that I don't know it nearly as well as I should.

2) The metronome is an excellent substitute for singers or other instruments

When I am preparing to accompany singers or other instruments, I know that nothing matters more than the beat (this is true for solo performances as well, but it is especially true for duets and ensembles). I may miss a note here or there, but if there are pauses in my playing the whole performance can quickly turn into a train wreck. When I'm practicing on my own, the metronome does an excellent job of imitating the driving rhythm that singers and other instrumentalists will maintain during a performance. By learning to keep up with the metronome I'm doing everything I can to avoid costly rhythm mistakes while accompanying others.

3) The metronome is an effective music learning tool

Well-known classical guitarist Christopher Parkening was once asked after a virtuosic performance, "How many times do you think you've played that particular song? A hundred?" He smiled and gave a polite response, but in his mind he was thinking, "You have no idea." Thoroughly learning a piece of music requires frequent repetition to develop muscle memory, and a metronome is the perfect device for ensuring that each repetition is rhythmically correct.


4) The metronome can help pianists increase playing speed

The metronome allows pianists to begin learning a song at a slow and steady rate, then gradually increase the tempo until the desired goal is achieved. This process, repeated over time, improves agility and accuracy and allows the developing pianist to tackle increasingly greater challenges.


While certainly not easy, learning to play with a metronome can do more to sharpen piano skills then any other method I've found.

A Quick Guide to Piano Chords

A thorough knowledge of chords can benefit every musician, and it doesn't take a college music degree to understand the fundamentals. This article will introduce the basics of chord theory and discuss tips and tricks to help you unlock the "secrets" of chordal harmony. We'll start with the old standby, a C major chord:

Using simple math we can use our knowledge of the C major chord to play any of the other 11 major chords. A C major chord is composed of 3 notes separated by two intervals. The first interval, a major third, begins at the C note, ends at the E note, and is composed of 4 half-steps: C to Db, Db to D, D to Eb and Eb to E. The second interval, a minor third, begins at the E note, ends at the G note, and is composed of 3 half-steps: E to F, F to Gb, and Gb to G.  (Note: Db could also be called C# depending on the key, but for the sake of simplicity only one note name has been provided.)

Armed with a knowledge of intervals, we can now use the C major chord as a template for any other major chord. For example, a D chord begins with the note D and contains a major third (from D to F#) that is composed of 4 half-steps: D to D#, D# to E, E to F and F to F#. The second interval, a minor third, begins at F#, ends at A, and is composed of 3 half-steps: F# to G, G to G#, and G# to A:

Now, returning to the original C chord example:

This chord  can be changed from a major chord to a minor chord by moving the middle tone (an E in this case) a half-step down. This effectively inverts the intervals, putting the minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and the major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half. What a difference a half step makes!

Again, this same process could be applied to any of the twelve keys to determine any minor chord. For example, a D minor chord contains the same intervals as a C minor chord but begins on the D note and ends on the A note. It contains a minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and a major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half:

Returning to the C minor chord example:

To turn this chord into a diminished chord, all we need to do is lower the fifth tone as follows:

Now we have  two minor thirds (three half steps) stacked on top of each other. Again, this process can be used to determine the notes that make up any diminished chord. For example, a B diminished chord begins with B and is composed of two minor thirds (three half-steps): from B to D and D to F.

Now we will discuss 7th chords, which can be made by adding a fourth note to any of the chords discussed above and which add variety and interest to music. (There are also 9th, 11th and 13th chords, as well as suspended chords, 6/9 chords, augmented chords and many others, but for the sake of brevity these additional chords will be discussed another time.)

There are several types of 7th chords. First we will discuss the dominant 7th. It is formed by adding an interval of a minor third (3 half-steps) to a major chord, as follows:

A major 7th chord can add a contemporary/jazz sound to songs and is formed by adding an interval of a major third (4 half-steps) to a major chord:

 A minor 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a minor chord:

And finally a diminished 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a diminished chord:

Don't be confused by the esoteric music rule requiring the use of a double-flat to notate diminished seventh chords; a "B double-flat" is really just an A.

Before ending this article I'd also like to point out that the notes all of the chords discussed so far can be played in ANY ORDER to enhance variety and interest as well as improving playability, preventing muddied sounds in the lower register of the piano and preventing collisions between the right and left hands. These variations are called "chord voicings" and sometimes are notated with a slash, as in G/D. This doesn't mean you can play a G chord OR a D chord, it means you should play a G chord with a D note at the bottom, like this:

Sometimes, in addition to inverting chords, you can drop less important notes. A standard G7 chord in the root positions looks like this:

But it is often inverted and "voiced" with only three notes (the 5th tone is dropped because it's function is less important that of the other three notes):

When it comes to chord construction, a little knowledge really can go a long way! Once these fundamentals have been internalized, you'll be able to spend less time looking through chord reference books and more time playing the songs you love.

Practice Makes Possible

There are widely varying philosophies about the best way to effectively practice a musical instrument, but when it comes to learning challenging piano songs I've found that a sectional approach works quite well. Here's the process I use:

1) Choose an enjoyable song because otherwise this process won't be worth the effort!

2) Site read through the song to get a feel for the material.

3) Divide the piece into sections. The best way to break it up will depend on the song--the patterns it uses, the difficulty of each section, the pagination, etc. I usually end up with sections of between 4 and 8 measures.

4) Set a tempo goal for the entire song (or for various passages if the song contains tempo changes).

5) Start working through a section at a time (in any order). Figure out the best fingering and smooth out trouble spots with frequent repetition. Be sure to use the same fingering every time to aid muscle memory, and practice difficult sections one hand at a time before playing with both hands simultaneously. Learn each measure in the section separately if necessary. Choose a starting tempo that is slower than the tempo goal and play through the whole section until it is smooth and repeatable. Then, using a metronome, gradually increase the speed. Repeat the section as many times as needed until it can be reliably played at the correct tempo. Try playing the section 3 times in a row without making a mistake, then 5 times and finally 7 times. The goal is to get to the point where you can play it correctly every time. Practice daily to retain muscle memory and mental clarity, and periodically play through sections you've already learned to make sure you haven't forgotten them.

6) Once each section can be played at the right tempo, focus on the transitions from section to section and play them until they are as smooth as the sections themselves.

7) Combine sections to form longer and longer passages until you can play through the entire song fluidly. Set high standards and use repetition to reinforce learning. Refocus on trouble spots as necessary.

8) If this piece will be a repertoire piece, play it regularly (once or twice a week) so it stays fresh.

This process can take several days or weeks, depending on the difficulty of the song, but I've found it to be very effective. As an amateur musician I don't strive for absolute perfection, but I like to get as close as I can and this practice method makes it possible for me to thoroughly enjoy my favorite hobby.