Cincinnati Piano Teacher and Accompanist, Alex Thio | Cincinnati, Ohio | TheMusiciansCoach.com

We Share a Pulse

As a collaborative pianist and coach, I often encounter a student performer whose understanding and grasp of PULSE is less than desirable. During the first rehearsal (and often in the midst of the first ‘run-through’ of the piece in collaboration with the performer), I often pause and offer:

“It sounds like you have a wonderful grasp of your notes. However, you’re having some challenges in keeping your pulse.”

I continue with:

“You and I have just met. We don’t know each other from Adam and Eve. True, we’re both musicians. But the other most important aspect that binds us together is .. a pulse. Your understanding of a pulse, and my understanding of a pulse is somewhat different. Let’s use this metronome and see how different our pulses are.”

Why is pulse important in collaborating with another musicians? Because it SECURES alignment. Without a common pulse between solo performer and collaborative pianist, you can be sure that alignment is going to be a nightmare. And that’s an understatement.

It is one thing to FEEL a pulse within oneself: it is another to depend on the mechanical, stalwart beat of the metronome.

Here are some of the excuses (valid or otherwise) that student performers offer me when I approach them about the question of pulse and the use of the metronome in their practice:

“I can’t play with the metronome. It’s too confusing.”

“I can’t hear the click of the metronome above my playing.”

“I rarely practice with the metronome. I just follow the recording I listen to.”

“I practice only portions of my piece with the metronome – like the more technical passages.”

While these may indeed be realistic responses (a.ka. excuses), they reveal the insecurity some student performers have regarding practicing with the metronome. The core of this challenge might very well be that they don’t know exactly how their pulse relates to the pulse of the metronome.

TEACHERS, BEWARE. Are you continuing to teach your student everything BUT practicing with the metronome? Does your student know the fundamentals of using a metronome?

First, TEACH YOURSELF how to use the metronome. Simplify the process. Only then might you be able to relay the process to your student.

Collaborative pianists around the world will THANK YOU for imparting this vital knowledge to your student. (Count me in!)

Resource: An excellent article written by John R Stevenson entitled The Metronome.. The Musician’s Best Friend describes the metronome and some wonderfully practical uses for the musician. You can download a PDF copy of this article for free by clicking this link.

Want to develop your sense of rhythmic pulse? Visit www.rhythmpatterns.com, a wonderful resource online for students and teachers alike, containing 1200 rhythmic exercises to help you develop proficiency in rhythm. Audio (MIDI) is provided to help you get those rhythms correct!