A "metronome" is a device used for controlling musical rhythm, often employed to maintain a steady tempo and beat. It produces regular auditory or visual signals to assist musicians in keeping a consistent speed and rhythm during performance or practice.
The metronome is a common tool used by musicians and music students to ensure a stable rhythm and tempo while playing. It typically takes the form of a small mechanical or electronic device with an adjustable tempo control, allowing musicians to set the desired beats per minute (BPM).
During use, the musician sets the metronome to the desired tempo, represented in beats per minute. The metronome then emits a sound, such as a regular "tick-tock" or other auditory signal, or provides a visual signal such as a flashing light or moving pointer, following the specified tempo. This enables the musician to synchronize their playing with the metronome's indications, thereby maintaining a consistent rhythm and tempo.
The metronome serves as a valuable tool for establishing a sense of rhythm, especially during practice and rehearsal. It aids musicians in adapting to different music tempos and rhythms, and is particularly useful for tackling complex pieces, coordinating ensemble performances, and ensuring the overall coherence of musical interpretations.
Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, the predominant musical figure during the transition between the Classical to Romantic eras. He occupies an unprecedented dominance in the history of Western music history, and has been widely regarded as the greatest, most influential and most popular musician who ever lived.
Beethoven's music inherited the artistic atmosphere of Haydn and Mozart, penetrated the desire for dignity, vented the anger tortured by fate, and demonstrated his determination to fight with fate.
Compared to other musicians, Beethoven is effectively to interact the philosophy of life with audience through music. Although he was not a romantic, he had become the object followed by other romantics.
As a musician, Beethoven suffered from ear diseases. However, he was unwilling to succumb to fate, vowing to take fate by the throat, and continue to complete his career. In the last ten years of his life, without hearing any sound, his compositions influenced the development of music for nearly two hundred years.