The Metronome

We all know and love our little steady friend. He sits on the table (or the piano) and calls out a trustworthy tempo as his little hand waves along with the steady beat. We all know what the metronome does to help us with our music, but do you know the history of our friend, the metronome?

The first mechanical metronome, built in 1696 by Etienne Loulie, did not make a sound at all. Musicians relied on following the sway of the metronome’s arm (much like watching a conductor) to keep their tempo. After going through a few different designs through the years, Johann Nepomuk Maelzel (using technology invented by Dietrich Nikolaus) designed the metronome that we use today. With his invention championed by his friend, Beethoven (after Maelzel fashioned the ear trumpets Beethoven used for his increasing deafness), Maelzel quickly found success. From this first design has grown all of the metronomes of today. Some are fashioned after the first metronome, some are electrical powered and opt for a blinking light rather than an arm. In our digital age, many are apps on our phones!