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I can't seem to stay in sync with a metronome. I currently am working on the tune \"Devil's Dream\" which is basically all one eighth notes, and have set the metronome to 50. Do I count 1 on each beat and let that be equal to a one eighth note? When going this slow I seem to lose all sense of rhythum, but I need to go this slow to get the notes down right. I don't have any problem with intonation.
jensor
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You didn't mention what time signature your score for the piece is in. Versions I could find with a quick search appear to be in 4/4 though? Each beat equals a quarter note, so it would be 2 eighth notes to a beat.
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
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Devils dream runs at about 160 beats per minute and has two eithnotes per beat. I will double check when I get a minute here. I'm looking for some shade at the beach so that I can get some practice in. Oops, that's 180bpm. So every other 8th note gets a beat.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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I find it impossible to keep time with a metronome, too, but I've found the click tracks on this site pretty easy to play along with, especially with an earbud in my ear.
Does anyone know of a site where you can download free click tracks for various bpms? If not, maybe I'll buy a click track album that I found on iTunes.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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Audacity is free for Windows, Mac and Linux computers. You can make your own click tracks with it. I don't recall if it takes a plug-in or if it comes with the default stuff.
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
I find it easier to follow a metronome with a visible count, such as a swinging pendulum of a flashing light.
As for a click track try using a metronome application for a phone so you can put in an ear-bud.
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I use webmetronome from
webmetronome.com/
which has a click and a flash on the first beat as well as showing the count.
Thanks for all the comments. But I think the main question has not been addressed.
I am learning the tune "Devil's Dream" which has a very fast tempo and the majority of the notes are eighth notes.
The time signature is 4/4.
I want to slow things down so I can learn to play it as perfectly as possible.
When I set the metronome to 25 I find that the beat is so slow that I am guessing at the mid beat for eighth notes.
Would it be a better idea to set the metronome to 50 and play each eighth note on the beat thereby not having to guess at the mid beat.
jensor
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The actual playing tempo for songs like that is a very quick bpm. the 4/4 is used so there are only 8 eithnotes per measure instead of like 16 etc. Everyother eithnote would get a beat from the metronome. So dont focus on how many bpm to play at now, just set the metronome at a tempo you can play it at and slowly increase to playing speed that sounds good to you. 4/4 = 4 beats per measure, so divide the amount of notes by 4 and you get which notes are beat notes. mark your sheet music accordingly and make sure you make it in time! As I often say, "On time, in tune, at tempo". good luck. (the version of soldiers joy I am practicing is virtually the same tempo so I feel for you)
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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I learn the tune first then I try to get the tempo right.
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springer said
I learn the tune first then I try to get the tempo right.
Me, too. 
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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They problem with a metronome usually is that it is not loud enough to cover our sound. You need to use my online metronome connected to your home stereo or amplifier with the volume turned up.
Visual metronomes are great if you can see it as you play.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Lately, I've been using FM's online metronome with headphones. Works great! 
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