Practice Vs. Performance with a Metronome

What's The Big Difference?

An interesting thought occurred to me recently. I was thinking about the nature of playing with a click track during live performances. It came to me two days ago while at a Lynyrd Synyrd show at a fair in Missouri that my current band had just finished performing (Skynyrd has nothing to do with the rest of this article, but I thought it was a fun fact). Anyway, I was talking with the rhythm guitarist of the country-rock band I'm with, Bomshel, about how he doesn't get enough practice these days due to other aspects of life that need attending besides music. We talked about finding time in the day and equipment with which to practice. We mutually agreed on the importance of using a metronome.

As the conversation continued, and I began offering suggestions about how he could try to squeeze practice into his busy schedule, I was suddenly distracted. The crowd roared, as it believed the band was about to start…false alarm. That distraction combined with my current thought of playing with a click still fresh in my mind spurred an interesting idea.

The idea: There is a difference between practicing with a metronome and playing with one live. We drummers usually practice with a metronome. And for those of us who do not currently use a metronome, getting one to practice with (at least some) is very beneficial. Now, for those of us who are asked to play with a click live for the first time as I was a few months ago, there are some other issues to consider.

Distractions occur throughout the course of a show without warning. And for many, if not all of us, these distractions seem to happen almost every show. The point is, when you are new to playing with a click track live, there will be things that take your attention off of that steady pulse beating away in your ears.

First and foremost, if you've playing a show that was going well and the crowd was really digging it, then you've probably felt that little adrenaline rush we all get when the performance is at its best. Well, feeling that rush of adrenaline can alter your sense of time. Even with that click in your ears, you may have the urge to push the time a little due to the excitement around you. And what happens if you drop a stick or break a head? Will you be able to keep playing and not lose the click or the band? Are you prepared to continue on and fix the problem with as little trouble as possible? Another technical distraction to watch out for is metronome failure.

Other distractions can come at any time from anywhere. There are the sights and sounds coming from off stage in the audience that may make your attention stray as well. You know what I'm talking about. It's the guy who comes to all our shows and heckles the band all night to play, "FREEBIRD!" And worst of all, there is no guarantee that the monitor person will be paying attention when you are trying to signal for more harmonica in your wedge while performing your stick-twirling bit and keeping that ballad tempo of 65bpm smooth and solid. Are you ready to deal with that?

There are some quick and easy solutions to a few of the problems mentioned. A couple of things to arm yourself with so you can focus on playing the music and sticking with the click are easily accessible drum sticks, back-up snare drums and cymbals if you have them, and try to use an AC power adapter rather than battery power for your metronome.

Don't expect personal practice to prepare you for these problems. In the wood shed, it is just you and the click. It is easier to lock in with the pulse because there should be no distractions like the ones mentioned during your performance. Nor do you have any other musicians counting on you for perfect time.

Fortunately, distractions become less of an issue with more experience dealing with them. Just remember, no matter what may go wrong over the course of a performance, do what you went there to do: Play the drums.