Tic-toc-tic-toc-tic-toc... It’s not a clock, but it’s clockwork indeed! It’s a metronome, always prepeared to keep you on the track. Should you, or should you not use a metronome while practicing? (for instance, let’s say rolls on a banjo...). This questions has triggered a never ending debate between musicians and the discussion is still going on.
Timing is a very important part of music. Without proper timing a song becomes ‘sloppy’ and if your timing varies within a roll or lick things can get worst. Playing in a band means that you have to watch your timing even more, even when you play occasionally or at pickingpartys. Playing with someone who’s timing is all over the place (or less worst) is very difficult (you may even loose your correct timing while playing along...).
When I start with a new student, who’s in the process of learning rolls, proper handsettings and dealing with the fact that bluegrassbanjo has to be played with two fingerpicks and a thumbpick, I never come up with a metronome. The poor student has too much to work before the ‘banjomachine’ is roling... But after a while, when the rolls are going and the student is ready for some first licks and a simple song , I start using the metronome.
Another way of playing along and perhaps a more pleasant one is using a midi-device. Midi’s are synthesized versions of songs. Band-in-a-box is a very nice tool for playing midi’s. The user can change the speed and play the songs in every key. But you can also play your midi’s with Windows Media Player. Changing speed is possible with WMP, but you cannot change the key of the song.
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