metronomic
Like clockwork beats
Metronomic describes something with the steady, unwavering regularity of a metronome—the device that marks musical tempo with clicking beats.
The word typically characterizes rhythm or repetitive motion: the metronomic thud of his footsteps, her metronomic breathing during sleep.
It can suggest mechanical precision or, less favorably, robotic monotony lacking human variation.
Rhythmic pulse or strike
- pulseArterial blood throb
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
- timingArt of choosing moments
- tickParasitic eight-legged pest
click · swing · groove · pattern · oscillation · percussion · downbeat · upbeat
Not varying or contradicting
- unwaveringSteady and unchanging
- regularOccurring at fixed intervals
- constantFixed, unvarying quantity
- evenUniform and level
reliable · uniform · unchanging · persistent · mechanical · invariable · unfaltering · clocklike
Rate of musical performance
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- timingArt of choosing moments
- pianistOne who plays piano
- drummerOne who keeps rhythm
conductor · musician · exercise · sight-reading · scales · etude · conservatory · studio
Perfectly correct, no deviation
- measuredCarefully considered, unhurried
- calibratedAdjusted for accuracy
- systematicFollowing ordered procedures
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
controlled · regulated · timed · exacting · calculated · methodical · disciplined · regimented
beat
Rhythmic pulse or strike
tick · click · swing · groove · pattern · oscillation · percussion · downbeat · upbeat · measure
consistent
Not varying or contradicting
- unwaveringSteady and unchanging
- regularOccurring at fixed intervals
- constantFixed, unvarying quantity
even · reliable · uniform · unchanging · persistent · mechanical · invariable · unfaltering · clocklike · dependable
tempo
Rate of musical performance
drummer · conductor · musician · exercise · sight-reading · scales · etude · conservatory · studio · rehearsal
exact
Perfectly correct, no deviation
- measuredCarefully considered, unhurried
- calibratedAdjusted for accuracy
- systematicFollowing ordered procedures
deliberate · controlled · regulated · timed · exacting · calculated · methodical · disciplined · regimented · strict
- Musical Timingbeat, pulse, tempo, rhythm, timing
- clockwork traitsprecision, punctuality, regularity, consistency, reliability
metronomicerratic
Lacking regularity or consistency
irregular · arrhythmic · sporadic · unsteady · variable
metronomicfree-flowing
Moving without restriction
rubato · organic · spontaneous · fluid · expressive