metronome
/ˈmɛtrənəʊm
/noun
A device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick.The use of metronomes, electronic tuners or other mechanical devices will not be allowed during the contestant's performance....
- The prizes have been metronomes, music, piano bags and miniature pianos filled with candy.
- As well as ticking on each beat, metronomes often have a bell which can be set to ting every second, third, or fourth beat to mark the first beat in the bar.
Derivatives
metronomic
- They're generally pretty good, kind of frail, spidery songs with tuff bass lines and metronomic drum-beats.
- This is one of the least metronomic recordings I know, and yet the concerto holds its shape because a basic pulse has been maintained, in spite of the accelerandi and rallentandi.
- In these a strictly metronomic Brahms is as unthinkable as a fussy or hurried Brahms in passages which must be presented with adamantine rhythm.
metronomically
- ‘Zheng’ begins with the looped rhythm of crackle, the needle loudly gouging into the vinyl surface, while a pipa moodily strums and plucked tones count time metronomically.
- But put together I'm aching to hear some mistakes, an unwise reggae song, a moment where - momentarily - the rhythm section aren't metronomically of a single mind.
- Mind you, Howard would be breaking the mould for Australian prime ministers who are, almost metronomically, into the job in their late 40s or 50s and out before 60.
Origin
Early 19th century: from Greek metron 'measure' + nomos 'law'.
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