How to play with a metronome

Playing with a metronome is essential for any musician.  Since percussionists are often the keepers of tempo it is important that we know HOW to keep tempo.  I’ve already written about how to play with your feet, and the importance of being able to keep tempo without a metronome on.  This is more fundamental than that.  This is simply how to play with a metronome.  Sure it seems easy, but more often than not new players do it wrong. I’d like to point out that for the sake of this discussion we are using a little personal metronome, not a Dr. Beat hooked up to a Long-Ranger.

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Marking Time: Playing with your Feet

Marching percussion brings an element to playing that a lot of people take for granted: marching. Moving ones feet with the music is as important as playing the notes. The classical view of marching is one where the feet move to the quarter-note and the hands play the music. The feet are essentially the metronome, once the metronome is turned off!

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