I love practicing to the metronome.
When I was a beginner it was about all I used when working on technique (mentor's insistence--which, in retrospect, I am profoundly thankful for).
Now I use it to work on expression.
(Yes, mechanical as that might sound, knowing where to deconstruct a figure without the distraction of the music opens up avenues where I would not normally look to playing with the movement).
I can stretch the timing of a figure here and there--in order to find out where the expression can come in. After that, I practice the movement with the music.
