A metronome is one of the best tools a musician can own. When used correctly, it has the potential to help you improve several aspects of your playing. I know the incessant beeping or ticking can be terribly annoying, but, in the end, it is such a wonderfully helpful thing. I often refer to metronomes as "slave drivers" because they are unrelenting, steady, and require you to keep the beat and tempo. I also call them a "best friend" because they can help you improve if they're used regularly. 

One of my favorite ways to use a metronome is to set it at a slow, comfortable tempo for whatever music I'm working on. When I can hit the notes and rhythm consistently, I begin incrementally notching up the speed until I reach the tempo needed to perform the piece. This is like stepping up a staircase. It's difficult to jump a whole flight of stairs, but if you take it one stair at a time, then it's easy to reach your goal.

Another exercise you can practice often is to turn on the metronome and then clap different rhythms. For example, you can set the metronome to represent a quarter note = 60 and clap one quarter note per beat, then clap it as eighth notes, sixteenth notes, or challenge yourself with more other beat patterns like triplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, or septuplets. To give yourself an even stronger challenge, alternate rhythms from one beat to the next! 

One of the most helpful things a metronome does for a musician is help them to develop their own sense of internal rhythm. When you practice consistently with a metronome you can learn to internalize a steady beat for any music you learn. There are more ways to use a metronome in your practice and you're free to experiment with them. A free online metronome can be found at https://www.metronomeonline.com.

First of all, what is a masterclass? It is a class led by a master in a certain field, usually in front of a group of onlookers. The way I run masterclasses is to have each person in the group play a piece they're working on and then to have a couple of their peers provide comments on what they liked or what they think can be improved. I will then work with the student on something for a few minutes. I do them this way because they help students develop and practice certain skills, such as:

• Confidence to perform. In this casual setting, there is less pressure as the audience is smaller and very supportive. They gain performance experience and it gives them a chance to practice learning to control their performance anxiety, or "nerves". 
• Attention to technique. When students give their peers feedback, they tend to notice the same technical issues that they're currently working to correct or develop, or ones they've had success with recently. When they do this, their ability to notice their own technical issues is strengthened. This skill is especially important to me as I want all of my students to become independent musicians, or those who can learn whatever piece they'd like to on their own.
• Habit of practicing. I have discovered no more effective motivation to practice than a performance. When a student knows they'll be playing in front of someone, they tend to practice more. The preparation for a masterclass will help them make more progress with their playing, especially if these classes are held regularly.
• Connection to a musical community. Knowing and feeling that you're a part of a community of other musicians, especially those who are working through the same things or pieces you are can be a real strength to any musician. Having a musical peer group becomes a great support and asset as you grow in your music, and, in it, you can either find or create more opportunities for your playing.
• Becoming open to more than one view. As musicians develop their skills and understanding, they have more opportunities to artistically interpret their music. At a masterclass, you're given the chance to hear the suggestions and ideas of others.

These are just a few things students work on at masterclasses. This fall we're also going to work on group or ensemble playing at these classes too. Please be sure to come to as many masterclasses as you can!