calling all pianists . . .

[gardenmom5]

do you have a favorite metronome for beginners?  (not a beginner beginner, but still early.)

 

Now that my hands aren't hurting all the time, I'm getting back to piano.

[Arcadia]

I like the mechanical ones because the metronome arm swinging feels rather calming to me like a grandfather’s clock. My kids use the small portable electronic ones.

E.g. for portable https://www.amazon.com/Korg-TM60BK-Tuner-Metronome-Black/dp/B078C5HCVP

[wendyroo]

We like the phone app Tempo (icon looks like four teal circles on a black background). Not free, but really cheap.

We like that if offers a setlist feature - we can set time signatures and metronome tempos for multiple songs that Spencer is working on, and he can just click to switch between them instead of constantly having to remember what speed he is supposed to be using for a particular piece and then manually setting the metronome. It lowers the hurdle just enough that he is more willing to actually pull out and use the metronome.

We like that is offers more complex time signatures. When Spencer was playing a Bartok piece, it really helped that the metronome could actually be set to (2+2+3)/8. 

And while Spencer doesn't use it very often, it does offer an interesting feature to help wean off of needing the metronome. You can set it to mute itself periodically. So, perhaps play with clicks for 5 bars, and then mute itself for 1 or 2 bars. That allows you to see if you can hold the steady tempo on your own. Alternatively, you could have it muted for 4 or 5 bars, and then click for one bar just as a quick check.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

I like the mechanical ones because the metronome arm swinging feels rather calming to me like a grandfather’s clock. My kids use the small portable electronic ones.

E.g. for portable https://www.amazon.com/Korg-TM60BK-Tuner-Metronome-Black/dp/B078C5HCVP

I used to enjoy watching my mom's mechanical one (it probably dated to the 40s when she would have started piano).