Rhythm, timing & metronome exercises for guitar – Part 3

This is part 3 that concludes the series about “Rhythm, Timing and Metronome Exercises for Guitar.” You can read part 1 and 2 here if you haven't. In this part, I will discuss the importance of using the metronome not just to speed up, but also how slowing down can be beneficial for your musical development. We'll also explore other benefits of integrating the metronome as a valuable companion in your guitar practice.

Want to try this while you read? Open our free online metronome in a new tab and practice along right in your browser.

Using the metronome to increase speed

Metronomes are essential tools for developing speed. It is not recommended to start practicing at full speed. Instead, take your time practicing at a slower tempo and gradually increase it. Remember, play as fast as you can, but never play sloppily.

Find your comfortable starting tempo

For example, if you have a section from a piece of music that involves fast alternate picking scale runs:

Set the metronome to a comfortable tempo and practice the part until you can play it accurately—e.g., 80 BPM.

Increase tempo gradually

Increase the tempo until you find yourself struggling a bit to play as accurately as before—e.g., 84 BPM. Then, back down 2 BPM and practice playing at that tempo for a while.

Push your limit to build accuracy

Return to the BPM where you initially struggled. If you still find it difficult, do not decrease the metronome speed. Instead, increase it by another 2 BPM (to 86 BPM, for example). You may struggle more, but try your best to stay at this tempo and play as accurately and cleanly as possible.

Refine at your original challenge tempo

Back down to the BPM where you had issues the first time (to 84 BPM, for instance). Hopefully, you will feel more comfortable playing at this new tempo.

If you feel the need to relax and clean up your playing, back down a bit more and work on whatever is necessary.

Repeat for ongoing improvement

Repeat the same steps until you feel more confident at a new and faster tempo—e.g., playing at 86 BPM.

This method works because it helps you identify where you are struggling and what needs more work. Doing metronome exercises for guitar also prevents you from slowing down on more difficult passages. The slight tempo increments help you play increasingly faster and with more precision. Playing fast takes time to get accustomed to, both physically and mentally, and persistence is key.

Using the Soundbrenner Core metronome can help you build up speed.

The importance of slowing down

Now that you’ve read about how to build speed using the metronome, learning to slow down is equally important. Slowing down is necessary for developing better technique, whether you are working on alternate picking, legato, sweeping, tapping, or strumming. Take your time with the subtleties of the movement to develop good muscle memory and avoid building bad habits that could hinder your progress.

Just as you use the metronome to speed up, playing slowly helps you avoid rushing the tempo. Therefore, both fast and slow playing are equally important.

Studio quality time

Playing to a click track (a metronome reference inside a DAW) can be daunting. For an unseasoned musician, this may cause discomfort for both you and your bandmates.

Keeping up with tempo is always important, and this situation is no different. All other musicians will record their tracks referring to the same tempo you hear on the click track. If you are dragging or rushing, you risk ruining the song, which can lead to more takes, more time, and more money until you get it right, all under stressful conditions.

Fortunately, you can save yourself the trouble by practicing with a metronome at home. With the increasing accessibility of software, you can even practice recording with a click track using a free DAW and then listen to your playing in a recording.

This is a great way to assess your overall sound and double-check your timekeeping skills.

Metronome: a measure of progress

You can also use your metronome practice as a measure of your progress. It provides hard evidence of how close or far you are from your goals—e.g., how accurately you can play a scale or song section at the reference speed or tempo. This serves as a clear indicator of how much work you have ahead of you.

Metronome exercises for guitar also help you manage your practice time more efficiently based on the difficulties you are experiencing with a particular passage. As you observe your progress reflected on the metronome screen, you will be motivated to keep practicing.

In a nutshell

Although your practice sessions will not always require the use of a metronome, you should definitely use it to develop musical and motor skills like those mentioned in this post. Throughout this three-part series on “Rhythm, Timing and Metronome Exercises for Guitar,” I hope you gained a good understanding of how to use your metronome for guitar practice. Whether for developing your internal timing, practicing scales, building speed, or learning songs or sections of them, incorporating a metronome into your guitar practice will lead to becoming a better musician.

Take these suggestions and try them in your practice sessions. Remember that using a metronome will only enhance your skills.

About the author:

Pedro Murino Almeida is an award-winning composer with the musical project Follow No One, an expert musician, and an experienced music teacher. He maintains a blog called Beyond Music Theory to provide tools and instruction for beginning to advanced music students and those wishing to learn about music theory, improve their songwriting, and enhance their music production skills.