The Tools
Online Metronome
A clean metronome. Adjustable BPM, time signatures from 2/4 to 7/8, accented downbeats, tap tempo. Use it for guitar practice, piano scales, or to keep a band tight in rehearsal.
How to use this metronome
Click Start to begin clicking at the displayed BPM. Adjust the tempo with the slider, the fine-grained nudge buttons (+1, +5, +10), or by tapping the Tap tempo button along with a beat you have in mind. The first beat of each measure is accented with a brighter click so you can hear the downbeat.
For practice, start slower than you think. If a passage is at performance tempo 120 BPM, work it at 60 BPM first, then 80, then 100, then 120. Slow practice ingrains correct fingering; fast practice ingrains errors. Most teachers recommend the “perfect ten” method: play a passage perfectly ten times in a row at a given tempo before nudging the BPM up.
When to use a metronome
Always for technique work — scales, arpeggios, chord transitions, sight-reading drills. The metronome forces rhythmic accuracy and reveals where you slow down (usually right before the hard part). Less essential for expressive playing — pop, rock, and folk performances usually breathe with rubato that a strict click would flatten.
Pair the metronome with our other tools for full practice sessions:
- Transposer— change a song's key, get the new chord names
- Scale Explorer — drill scales at adjustable BPM
- Circle of Fifths — work through every key in cycle
Common BPM ranges
- Largo: 40-60 BPM (very slow ballads)
- Adagio: 60-76 BPM (slow ballads)
- Andante: 76-108 BPM (walking pace, most worship songs)
- Moderato: 108-120 BPM (moderate pop)
- Allegro: 120-156 BPM (up-tempo pop, rock)
- Vivace: 156-176 BPM (fast dance)
- Presto: 168-200 BPM (very fast)
FAQ
Common questions.
How do I find the right BPM for a song?
Tap the 'Tap tempo' button along with the song's beat — the metronome learns the BPM from your taps. Most pop songs sit between 90 and 130 BPM; ballads around 60-80; up-tempo dance music 120+.
Why does the first beat sound different?
The first beat of every measure is accented (a brighter click) so you can hear the downbeat. This makes it easier to feel the meter — especially in odd time signatures like 5/4 or 7/8.
Can I use this metronome offline?
After the page loads, the metronome runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. No network needed once you've started it.
What's the difference between 4/4 and 6/8?
4/4 has four equal quarter-note beats per measure. 6/8 has six eighth-note beats grouped as two pulses of three. They're rhythmically distinct — 4/4 feels like a march, 6/8 feels like a waltz or a lilt.
Why does my beat indicator drift on mobile?
Mobile browsers throttle background tabs. Keep this page in the foreground for accurate timing. iOS Safari also requires a tap to unlock audio — that's the first 'Start' click.