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Metronome Synchronization

Two metronomes are placed on a common base. The metronome on the left is set at 192 beats per minute. The one on the right is set at a slightly lower rate. The metronome pendulums are initially out-of-phase. The two pendulums oscilate in phase due to conservation of momentum and coupling via the base. A true physics masterpiece!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Synchronisation of 5 coupled metronomes done in Lancaster University, Physics Dep, Nonlinear dynamics and medical physics group. Emails related to this video can be sent to: a.bahraminasabNOSPAM at gmail dot com. Some explanation by ’shoonya’ which I think is pretty good: Here you go: metronomes (or “pendula”) when on table, oscillate with random phases, since that is how they started and they are “uncoupled” (no energy/information flows from one to other so they do not “know” each other.) When they are all together on the cans, notice that the cans themselves oscillate little, providing coupling/information crossover. which forces “synchronization” in periodic systems (discovered by Huygens in 17th century). A useful book: “Synchronization: A Universal Concept in Nonlinear Sciences ” by Arkady Pikovsky, Michael Rosenblum and Jurgen Kurths. A scientific article: scitation.aip.org My personal homepage: www.lancs.ac.uk Reference to the original video: youtube.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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metronomes

Benefits Of Using Metronomes

I’m sure you’ve heard that it is incredibly useful to practice with a metronome. Most books and teachers make it abundantly clear that using a metronome is a great way to improve your timing. This is true. But did you know that there are other HUGE benefits to using a metronome? Let’s take a look at a few now…

It’s been proventime-and-time again that goals need to be specific and measurable to work. If you don’t know exactly WHAT you are trying to achieve, how will you know WHEN you have achieved it?Metronomes allow you to progressively achieve your goals. What do I mean by this? Put simply, it means start slow and GRADUALLY increase the speed of your metronome. For example, let’s say you want to get a particular lick up to 200 bpm. You could first master the lick at 40 bpm. Once mastered at this speed you could then increase the metronome speed to 42 bpm, then 44 bpm, them 46 bpm. You get the idea! You would work up to the target speed incrementally over a period of days, weeks or even months.

One absolutely vital skill to develop is the ability to play your guitar while still being able to listen to the people that you are playing with. This is especially true in jazz, where a large proportion of the song may be improvised! Metronomes really help you develop this listening skill. As you practice you will also have to be listening to the click of your metronome. If you don’t, you will soon be playing out of time with it!
Obviously, you’ll develop this listening ability more fully by playing with other musicians, but playing with a metronome will definitely help as well. It’s a great place to start and can often can help build your confidence to play with other people.

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