After a full Warm Up, I did a Round (left side) to T. T. Liang's music without his count. I was able to 'stay on the beat' throughout the Round. I haven't done a Round to just the music for quite awhile. It's interesting to experience the tempo and intersections (ala T. T. Liang's counting) of the down beats and the up beats. Keeps you honest to the sequence and number of repetitions of the postures throughout the Round. Once you 'get it' the focus makes for a nice relaxing flow. Master Liang was a genius to put the form to a beat. Since everything under the sun is set in time....Time is relevant in most 'things', especially playing any musical instruments. My main instrument is drum set where your 'steady time' is your 'feel' is your 'everything'. I always practice drum set and pad work with a metronome. I also often count out loud to work 'time' into the speaking part of my brain. I find doing T'ai Chi to a metronome also helps my brain develop a better sense of 'time'. Win/Win!!
From Paul Gallagher's book Drawing Silk:
The Chinese say the Solo Form "must not be too slow or too fast"
"Throughout the entire body must be light and spirited"
"The attention should be concentrated on the vital spirit, not on the qi"