[jebba]

<p>Please forgive my ignorance.  My daughter has started violin lessons.  She's having a hard time keeping a steady beat.  I was thinking about using an online metronome, but I don't know how to pick the appropriate tempo.</p>
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<p>She's working on simply plucking open strings.  It's 4 quarter notes in a 4 beat measure (Does that make sense?)  Anyhow,  it says 4/4 at the beginning.</p>
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<p>The metronome online goes from 40 to 200.  How do I know what number to choose?  Thanks.</p>

 

[Grizzly]

<p>Well the higher the number the faster the beat.  And 4 quarter notes in a four beat measure is 4/4 time, 4 beats a measure.  I think she might find 40 very slow, but start her off at that number.  40 is 40 beats a minute or less than 1 a second.  60 would be one beat a second and a measure would then be 4 seconds, still slow, but enough for her to learn.</p>

 

[jebba]

<p>Okay, so the number of beats per measure is not an indication of tempo.  Got it.  Thanks!</p>
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[Stitcher]

<p>jebba......</p>
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<p>Eventually, music will have a notation at the beginning, above the staff that will have which number to choose:</p>
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<p>quarter = 120  (quarter would be a quarter note symbol, or other note like eighth note or half note).</p>
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<p>When you see that, you would play one of the indicated notes every click of the metronome.  Other notes would be the appropriate ratio of the indicated note.</p>
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<p>See:  <a href="http://neilhawes.com/sstheory/theory14.htm" target="_blank">http://neilhawes.com/sstheory/theory14.htm</a></p>
<p>For more basic info.</p>