Using a Metronome with a 4-year-old?!

Ah, the dreaded metronome. We've all used it, we know its value despite its irritating nature. I swear I can still hear it in my sleep sometimes...

Not too long ago, I was too afraid to introduce the metronome with my younger students. I would put it off for a later level or age, convincing myself that they just weren't ready yet. And I was comfortable with that.

But one day I was speaking with a close friend of mine who also happens to be a piano teacher, and what she told me blew my mind.

She casually mentioned that she used the metronome with one of her new students (I mean, SUPER new, like less than a month new). And I just couldn't believe it.

I immediately asked her question after question. I just HAD to find out how she did it and how the student responded without the lesson being a total train-wreck.

And so after our conversation, I committed to introducing the metronome to every single one of my students that week. From 4 years old, to 74 years old. And guess what? It wasn't a total train-wreck either!

I was just thinking about it all wrong.

Don't Just Throw the Metronome in, Start SMALL

The way you introduce the metronome with a student will vary based on age, maturity, and ability to keep a steady rhythm. Some students are naturals when it comes to keeping the beat. Other students...bless their hearts. That's where we come in to help!

For my youngest students and students that it doesn't come as easily to, I pull up my favorite digital metronome app (my go-to is Metrotimer), and let the students explore the metronome.

I tell them to play with the different speeds, the volume, and the start/stop button. I want them to feel comfortable with the metronome, instead of it being a scary or dreaded resource. Make it fun!

With different tempo's, show students how to clap along with the pulse of the metronome. After they watch me demonstrate, I invite them to clap with me.

Again, for some students this is intuitive--they can do it right away. But in my experience, most tend to get a little stressed out over matching their clap with the metronome's pulse and it impacts their steadiness.

When this happens, I clap loudly directly over the app's device so that the student can't see or hear the metronome. This eliminates some of the stress, so all they need to focus on is matching their clap with my own.

Once they are able to do this, I slowly decrease the volume of my clapping and move my hands out of the way so that the student can again see and hear the metronome. Then eventually, I remove my clapping entirely so it is just the student with the metronome!

Don't Wait Until the Perfect Age/Level to Introduce the Metronome

I didn't get to all of these steps with each student in one lesson. Some students only played with the different features of the metronome (especially my super littles with lower attention spans). Some only progressed to matching their clapping with my own. And that's OK!

I believe the most helpful thing when introducing the metronome, is to HAVE FUN WITH IT. Yes it's new and can be scary, but you can help minimize the stress by exploration and discovery...and being willing to laugh along the way :)

As always, stay tuned!!

(pun unapologetically intended)

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