Online metronome
Practise with a steady click. Set the tempo from 30 to 300 BPM, choose how many beats a bar, and tap the tempo in if you don't know the number. It runs in your browser, with no sign-up.
Using it
- Press Start. Change the tempo while it plays with the minus and plus buttons or the slider.
- Beats a bar sets the count: 4 for most pop, 3 for a waltz, 6 for 6/8, 5 or 7 for odd meters.
- Accent beat 1 plays the first beat of each bar higher, so you never lose your place.
- Tap tempo sets the tempo from three taps or more, when you only know how the song feels.
Tempo markings
Sheet music often names a tempo instead of a number. Roughly: Largo is under 66 BPM, Adagio 66 to 76, Andante 76 to 108, Moderato 108 to 120, Allegro 120 to 168 and Presto above that. Sources differ by a few beats, so treat them as ranges. The metronome shows the marking for the tempo you set.
Practising with a metronome
- Start slower than you can play it cleanly, then raise the tempo 4 or 5 BPM at a time.
- Set it to half the tempo and feel the click on beats 2 and 4, like a backbeat.
- For singing, run the tricky line at a slow tempo until the words land on the beat, then speed up.
Questions
Is the click accurate?
Yes. Each click is scheduled on the browser's audio clock a moment ahead, so it stays in time even when the page is busy. On a phone, keep the tab in front; some phones pause sound in background tabs.
I hear nothing on my iPhone. Why?
iPhones mute web audio in silent mode. Turn the silent switch off, then press Start again.
How do I count 6/8?
Choose 6 beats a bar with the accent on for a slow 6/8. For a fast 6/8, set 2 beats a bar at the dotted-quarter tempo.
Can I get an exact tempo?
Yes. The minus and plus buttons move one BPM at a time, and the tap tempo sends its reading here with the tempo already set.
Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no limit, because it runs on your own device.