I brought my CD player out so I could practice to this CD that I made back in 2015: I set a metronome to 60bpm with two tones; One for the downbeat (on the count 1-6) and one for the upbeat (the & of the downbeat.)
I used Master T. T. Liang's count; Some movements are 2 beats, some are 4 beats and a few are 6 beats.
The movement of the whole body starts on the 1 of each movement regardless of the count and it ends on the & of the final count for that particular movements. The movement concludes, it stops without stopping (paradox) between the & of the previous movement and the 1 of the next.
Cycling between Wuji (stillness) and Tai-Chi (movement) and back to Wuji; This cycle repeats over and over throughout the Form.
My principle Tai-Chi teacher Master Paul Gallagher, didn't teach with Master T. T. Liang's music but he did teach with the idea of 'intersections'; Points in the Form where you can check to see if all the parts arrive at the same time or not. I've come to realize that these 'intersections' came from understanding where the body parts should be during the music. With the original music you had to count the boom / dah's. The music has a bass drum for the downbeat (numbers) and a slight snare drum (brushes?) for the upbeat (&). I think Master Liang thought the music would make it easier for folks to practice and also to keep the class together. It is a form of mindfulness and I think for me personally it helps with my sense of time and feel for music in general.
I've noticed that the count helps to inform these 'intersections' of body parts (feet, waist, upper body) to be in better time with each other. All the while keeping true to the sequence of the Form.
After a brief Warm Up, I did a Round (left side) to the CD. I then did Part I on the right side to just the metronome (60 bpm).
One benefit I noticed is that the vocalized count over the metronome, really keeps you honest with the sequence.
For me, the more I go into the feeling, training to embody the principles unconsciously, the more apt I am to 'loose my place' in the sequence. So this is a welcomed opportunity to 'tune in' to how much and when to focus on the internal (feeling) in balance with the external (sequence). This is a similar paradox while improvising in music. You still need to adhere to the arrangement, key and time/feel.
For example was the three or five Wave Hands Like Clouds?? Oy! Those kind of 'errors' are good fodder for staying equanimous when your realize your error. Self Love....Be kind to yourself....This is a perfect opportunity for self reflection! IMO