Time and Pitch: Solving Problems with the Metronome and Tuner
Written by Albert Lilly, ITG Calendar Editor
As young musicians, we are often taught the value of a good warm-up and fundamental
regimen as an important part of our daily practice. Lips slurs, long tones, chromatic finger
studies, Arban’s exercises, etude and other lesson materials are often practiced diligently by
young musicians who are hoping for improvement and growth in their musicianship, technique
and control.
Yet often in our regimented daily practice of fundamentals, we forget to do two of the most
important and valuable things, count and listen. I cannot start to list all of the times I have heard
student musicians warm-up, and hear them as they perform basics, with no sense of time, pitch
or quality of tone. And yet they consider themselves warmed and prepared for the trumpet
practice that follows, all while building upon a foundation that is insecure.
Music is nothing more than a series of pitches that happen in a period of time. That period of
time, and the duration of each pitch, creates rhythm, and this rhythm must be replicated time
and time again in the correct time in order for the music to be recognizable. Musicianship is far
more, taking pitch in time and creating art, and that is far more difficult to master and to
comprehend for most musicians. Yet, it is often found that discussion of musicianship is
deemed the most important in music lessons; all the while the most serious flaws being found in
performance involve music fundamentals. Somewhere, the ideas have traded places in
importance, and the technical correctness of the example is lost.
When students start their playing day, they should have the following mechanical devices
available for their use, an auto-chromatic tuner and a metronome. These two tools will eliminate
many of the most prominent technical errors in performance, and many serious fundamental
errors in all playing as well.
When a student begins their day with lip slurs or long tones, it is not uncommon for some
players to play their warm-up slurs with a ‘non-descript’ sense of rhythm. That is, they play the
exercises, albeit with notes of durations of varying length, dependent upon more the whim of the
day than the music on the stand. A good metronome can be used to set the time for the student,
and then the student can play through lip slurs with a better sense of rhythm and duration.
Remembering that lip slurs are reactions that have to happen in time in order for the slur to be
correct in terms of rhythm, what benefit can ever be expected from repeating the same slur,
year after year, in a haphazard way? Additionally, the counting practice gets the mind going on
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Time and Pitch: Solving Problems with the Metronome and Tuner
Written by Albert Lilly, ITG Calendar Editor
long notes, which often seem to be the notes that are most often abused in counting. Use of a
metronome on long tones can allow the student to have a real sense of the internal rhythm
within the long tones, and to create a clear duration in each pitch. Use of the metronome also
allows the student to develop greater lung capacity and control by slowing down the speed of
the metronome. Starting at quarter note = 60 and gradually decreasing the speed (something
easily done with our modern digital metronomes) allows additional growth and greater
regulation of the daily build toward more lofty goals.
Use of a tuner on fundamental lip slurs can also assist and develop a great sense of pitch.
When students play lip slurs and are not careful in placement, not only do tuning problems
persist, but are sometimes heightened by a lack of understanding of placement as well as a lack
of understanding of the relative pitch of their instrument.
I find that students who play long tones with a tuner develop a greater understanding of the
pitch tendencies of their individual instruments much faster, and in doing so, develop greater
control over their own personal pitch and a stronger sense of correct placement of notes.
Using the tuner also allows for other reinforcement as well. Lip slurs can often become a
win-lose situation, in that students develop their embouchure strength and control from slurs.
And yet, development occurs without a clear understanding and reinforcement of the pitch, and
things such as pinching in the slur can develop, which results in poor pitch placement, and can
lead to greater problems in tone and embouchure. It is indeed the rare player who plays well in
tune but with poor tone quality. A clearer understanding of pitch placement is essential, and that
understanding can be developed through the use of the tuner in lip slurs, fundamental long
tones and a host of other daily fundamentals.
Use of chromatics for finger development is a long tradition in all brasses, and the use of a
metronome is essential for positive growth and development. By using studies such as Clarke
and Arban, one can play chromatic materials and develop control over the fingers in time. A
metronome can be used by the student to greater regulate and refine their finger use and to
develop a greater sense of control. In slurs, the fingers are miniature percussionists, and the
rhythm of any slurred passage is clearly dependent upon the fingers working correctly in
rhythm. One can work to develop greater control of the fingers by use of the metronome, which
can act as a guide to the fingers so that greater and more concise rhythm is achieved. This
method can also be useful without the horn. Simply turn on the metronome and place the speed
of the metronome at your desired tempo, then finger through passages and listen to see if the
pop of the valves as you finger up and down a chromatic passage is accurate. Little clicks
outside the beat show that your fingers are not on time and suggest necessary refinement.
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Time and Pitch: Solving Problems with the Metronome and Tuner
Written by Albert Lilly, ITG Calendar Editor
Additionally, use of both a tuner and a metronome on exercises like the third study from
Clarke’s Technical Studies book is essential to maximizing the value of the material. The third
study, with both finger passages and lip slur passages is particularly challenging, and a student
who is working on this exercise would do well to work diligently with a metronome in order to get
the slurred intervals and finger passages on time. The tuner would be useful again in checking
lip slurs to ensure that one is not using an improper embouchure or poor technique to get lip
slurs to occur on time. Only through diligent practice and careful use of these electronic tools
can a player develop successful results.
Often, the simplest passage can give young players the greatest deal of difficulty, but by using a
metronome and tuner during daily fundamental practice, the student can positively reinforce
their own abilities while developing new abilities and skills. The use of the tuner can reinforce
pitch characteristics and adjustment skills of the student, help the student develop a greater
sense of pitch and control of the pitch, and reinforce the positive aspects of tone and intonation
in a positive way.
In this day of technical marvel and gadgetry, the price of a quality tuner/metronome is easily
under $75 at most music stores. Even so, it seems to be the last piece of equipment many add
to their arsenal. Any student who uses these two tools in a daily practice session can easily
reinforce skills that would otherwise take far longer to learn. Is there really any reason that a
student shouldn’t have both devices available for each practice session? Further, is there any
reason to not use them, especially with younger students who can use the tools to further
enhance their daily practice and preparation?
Try a metronome and a tuner this week, and see where your pitch goes on slurs and
fundamentals. Do the same on chromatic runs to ensure your fingers are on time and on target
with their assigned duties.
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Time and Pitch: Solving Problems with the Metronome and Tuner
Written by Albert Lilly, ITG Calendar Editor
Albert Lilly teaches trumpet in the Indianapolis, IN area, where he has over 30 private students.
He is also the co-principal trumpet of the Bloomington (IN) Symphony, a member of the
Centennial Brass, and Calendar Editor for the International Trumpet Guild. He is a Doctoral
Candidate in Trumpet at the Indiana University School of Music
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