Online Metronome

What this online metronome is

A metronome is a device that clicks at a steady speed so you can practice music in time. This page is one you can use in any browser, with a tempo from 30 to 240 beats per minute, time signatures from two to seven beats in a bar, subdivisions, three click sounds and tap tempo. Nothing needs installing and no account is required.

The clicks are synthesized in your browser and placed on the audio clock, which is far steadier than ordinary page timers. That is the same approach used by music software, and it is why the beat does not wobble when the page is busy.

Why practice with a metronome

Steady time is the base of almost all music, and a metronome gives you an honest reference. It shows you where you rush a difficult passage and where you drag through a slow one, which is hard to hear while you are playing. Practicing with a click also builds a stronger sense of pulse, so you stay in time when you play with other people.

A common method is to start slowly, at a speed where you can play a passage cleanly, then raise the tempo by a few beats at a time as it becomes comfortable. Going up in small steps, such as five beats per minute, helps you avoid practicing mistakes at a speed that is too fast.

Tempo, BPM and Italian terms

Tempo is how fast the beat goes, and it is measured in beats per minute, or BPM. At 60 BPM the metronome clicks once a second. At 120 BPM it clicks twice a second. The word under the number is the traditional Italian term for roughly that speed, such as Andante for a walking pace or Allegro for a lively one. The boundaries between terms vary between sources, so the label is only a rough guide.

The Tempo slider covers 30 to 240 BPM. For finer control, the buttons move the tempo by 1 or 5, and on a keyboard the up and down arrow keys move it by 1, or by 10 with Shift held.

Beats per bar and the accent

Music is grouped into bars, and the number of beats in a bar gives the feel of the piece. Two beats suits marches and polkas, three gives a waltz, and four is the most common in pop, rock and much classical music. Five, six and seven beats are used in more unusual or compound pieces. The row of circles shows each beat of the bar as it passes.

The first beat of the bar sounds higher and louder, which helps you hear where the bar begins. With Accent first beat turned off, every beat sounds the same, which suits practice at a steady pulse or when the bar length is not important.

Subdivisions

A subdivision splits each beat into smaller, equal parts, and it is useful when the beat itself is slow and you need a finer guide. The extra clicks are quieter and lower than the main beat so you can still hear it clearly.

• Eighths. Two clicks per beat. Count "one and two and".
• Triplets. Three clicks per beat. Count "one trip let two trip let".
• Sixteenths. Four clicks per beat. Count "one e and a two e and a".

Subdivisions are especially helpful for slow tempos and for rhythms that fall between the beats. The subdivision clicks follow the same timing as the beat, so changing the tempo changes both.

Tap tempo

If you know how a song feels but not its speed, tap the button in time with it. The page measures the gaps between your last several taps, averages them and sets the tempo. At least two taps are needed, and the page starts again if you pause for more than two seconds. The more taps you give it, the steadier the result. You can also press T on a keyboard to tap.

Using it with a mouse, touch screen or keyboard

• Mouse or touch. Press Start and Stop, move the slider, or press the buttons to change the settings. Changes apply on the next click, so you can adjust the tempo while it plays.
• Keyboard. Press Tab to move between controls and Enter or Space to press a button. When no control is focused, Space starts and stops, T taps the tempo and the up and down arrows change the tempo.

The circles are only a visual aid. If you use a screen reader, the status line announces the tempo and the number of beats when you change them.

Practice ideas

1. Warm up with scales. Play a scale, one note per click, at 60 BPM, then raise the tempo by 5 BPM each time you play it cleanly.
2. Use subdivisions. Switch on eighths and play two notes to each beat. Then try triplets for a rolling feel.
3. Listen for the bar. Set three beats per bar and count "one two three" with the accent so that you feel each bar begin.
4. Play off the beat. Clap on beats two and four only, with the first beat still sounding, to build a backbeat.
5. Find a song's tempo. Tap along to a favorite track, then play at that speed.

Who a metronome helps

Metronomes are used by beginners and professionals alike: music students, singers learning a rhythm, drummers, guitarists and pianists working on speed, dancers counting steps and even runners keeping a steady pace. Pair it with the virtual drum kit to play a beat in time, the virtual piano for scale practice or the music maker to build loops. When you want the pitch to be right as well as the timing, check your instrument with the online tuner.

Online metronome versus a physical one

A mechanical metronome has a swinging pendulum, which many people find helps them feel the beat, and it needs no power. Electronic metronomes are small, can be plugged into headphones, and often offer more than one time signature.

An online metronome is always available on a device you already have. It offers precise tempo values, subdivisions and tap tempo with no setup. The sound comes from your device speaker, so it may be harder to hear over a loud instrument, and the timing depends on your browser and device, so test it with headphones if timing is critical.

Limitations of this version

• The tempo range is 30 to 240 BPM, with whole-number steps.
• Time signatures are set by the number of beats per bar. Compound groupings, mixed meters and tempo changes within a piece are not offered.
• Subdivisions are plain, equal divisions of the beat. Swing and custom rhythms are not available.
• Browsers that put background tabs to sleep may disturb the timing when the page is hidden, so keep the tab visible for the most reliable results.
• Nothing is saved, so settings reset when you reload the page.

Common problems and how to fix them

• No sound. Browsers keep audio off until you interact with the page, so press Start first. Then check the volume slider, your device volume and the tab's mute icon. On an iPhone, also check that the silent switch is off.
• The clicks are hard to hear. Raise the volume or try the Click sound, which cuts through best.
• The tempo seems off. Check that Tap tempo has not changed the setting, and that the number shown is the one you intended.
• The keys do nothing. Click an empty part of the page so focus is not in a field or on a slider.
• The timing drifts when the tab is hidden. Keep this tab in view while you practice.