Metronome

How to use the metronome

1. Type the tempo in beats per minute, or tap the Tap tempo button in time with the music to find it.
2. Set the beats per bar and whether to split each beat into eighths, triplets or sixteenths.
3. Click Start. The space bar starts and stops it, and T taps the tempo.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the BPM of a song?

Tap the Tap tempo button once per beat for at least four beats. The average of your taps becomes the tempo, and taps older than three seconds are forgotten so you can start again.

What tempo should I practise at?

Slow enough to play it cleanly, which is usually slower than feels satisfying. Raise the tempo by about 5 BPM once you can play a passage three times without a mistake.

What do the tempo names mean?

Roughly: largo 40 to 60, adagio 60 to 76, andante 76 to 108, moderato 108 to 120, allegro 120 to 168, presto 168 to 200.

Is the beat accurate?

Yes. The clicks are scheduled ahead of time on the browser's audio clock rather than fired by a timer, so the beat does not drift or stutter when the page is busy.

Why does the first beat sound different?

It is accented so you can hear where the bar starts. Untick "Accent the first beat" for a plain, even click.