How to use the online metronome
- Set the tempo: drag the slider, press − or + (hold to change quickly, Shift-click for steps of 5), type a number into the BPM box, or pick a common tempo such as 120.
- Choose a Time signature. For anything not listed, press Custom and set Beats per bar (1 to 16) and the Note value.
- Pick a Subdivision to hear 2, 3 or 4 softer clicks inside every beat, and choose a Sound and Volume.
- Press Start. The first beat of each bar is higher and louder and lights up in a different colour. Click any beat number to cycle it through accent, normal and silent.
- Don't know the tempo of a song? Press Tap tempo (or the T key) in time with the music. After a few taps the metronome sets the average tempo of your last taps; pause for two seconds to start a new count.
Changes take effect from the next beat while it plays, so you can speed up or switch the time signature without stopping.
How accurate is it?
Simple web metronomes fire each click from a JavaScript timer, which can be late by several milliseconds whenever the page is busy. This one uses Web Audio look-ahead scheduling instead. About every 25 milliseconds a small timer looks a tenth of a second ahead and books every click that falls in that window at an exact time on the audio hardware's own clock. Each click then plays at its booked moment, accurate to one audio sample (about 0.02 ms). The beat lights are drawn from the same schedule, so what you see matches what you hear.
Two limits are worth knowing. Browsers slow down background tabs to save power, so the metronome keeps time best with the tab in front and, on a phone, the screen on; it asks the browser to keep the screen awake while it plays. And Bluetooth headphones and speakers add a delay of their own (see the FAQ), so for playing along, wired headphones or the device's speaker are best. You can check both channels with the speaker test.
Tempo markings and BPM
Italian tempo markings describe a speed range, not an exact number. The ranges below are the ones this metronome uses to name the current tempo. They are approximate conventions: sources differ and often overlap (Andante is often given as about 76 to 108, Moderato as about 108 to 120), so follow the composer's metronome mark when there is one.
| Marking | Meaning | BPM used here |
|---|---|---|
| Grave | very slow, solemn | 20–39 |
| Largo | broadly, slow | 40–59 |
| Larghetto | rather broadly | 60–65 |
| Adagio | slow, at ease | 66–75 |
| Andante | at a walking pace | 76–99 |
| Moderato | moderately | 100–111 |
| Allegretto | moderately fast | 112–119 |
| Allegro | fast, bright | 120–155 |
| Vivace | lively, fast | 156–175 |
| Presto | very fast | 176–199 |
| Prestissimo | as fast as possible | 200–300 |
Time signatures explained
The top number of a time signature tells you how many beats are in a bar; the bottom number tells you which note gets one beat (2 = half note, 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, 16 = sixteenth note). In simple meters such as 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4, each beat divides naturally into two. Here the BPM always counts the note in the bottom number, so 3/4 at 90 BPM gives 90 quarter notes a minute, and 3/2 at 60 BPM gives one half note every second.
In compound meters such as 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8, the beats come in groups of three. A bar of 6/8 has six eighth notes, but it is usually felt in two (ONE two three FOUR five six), each pulse lasting a dotted quarter note. By default the metronome counts the written eighth notes in 6/8 and 12/8 and accents the start of each group. Choose BPM counts: Dotted quarter notes to click only the felt pulse instead, two per bar in 6/8 and four in 12/8, and add subdivision 3 to hear the eighth notes in between. The two settings can produce the same rhythm: dotted quarter = 60 is the same as eighth note = 180. Odd meters such as 5/4 and 7/8 have no fixed grouping; 7/8 is often counted 2+2+3, so click beats 3 and 5 to accent them.
How to practise with a metronome
- Start slow, at a tempo where you can play the passage cleanly several times in a row.
- Speed up in small steps. Raise the tempo by 2 to 5 BPM once it feels comfortable, and drop back a little if mistakes creep in.
- Use subdivisions: clicks between the beats show whether you rush or drag.
- Silence some beats and keep time yourself through the gaps to build an inner pulse.
Tempos for everyday uses vary, so these are only rough guides: slow ballads often sit around 60 to 80 BPM, a lot of pop and dance music around 100 to 130 BPM, and CPR guidelines call for 100 to 120 chest compressions per minute. To time practice sessions, use the online timer, or the stopwatch to see how long a piece takes. Tune up first with the guitar tuner; no instrument to hand? Play along on the online piano, which also has easy songs to learn. Learning Morse code by ear? The Morse code translator plays any text at 5 to 40 WPM. More helpers are in the everyday tools.
Privacy
All sound is generated in your browser; nothing is recorded or uploaded. Your settings (tempo, time signature, beat counting, subdivision, sound, volume and the first-beat accent) are kept in this browser's local storage so the metronome opens the way you left it.
Frequently asked questions
What BPM is Allegro?
Allegro is usually given as about 120 to 156 BPM, and some sources stretch it to 168. This metronome names 120 to 155 BPM as Allegro; at 156 it switches to Vivace. The ranges are conventions, not exact rules.
How do I find the BPM of a song?
Play the song and press Tap tempo (or the T key) on every beat. The metronome averages your last taps and shows the tempo, which becomes the new BPM. Tap for at least four or five beats for a steady reading, and pause for two seconds to start again.
What is 6/8 time?
6/8 has six eighth notes per bar, grouped in two sets of three, so it is usually felt as two beats per bar. Choose 6/8 to click all six eighth notes with accents on 1 and 4, or set BPM counts to dotted quarter notes to click the two main beats.
Why is my metronome out of time with Bluetooth headphones?
Bluetooth audio is buffered and compressed on the way to your ears, which adds a delay you can hear when playing along. The beat stays steady, but every click arrives late. Use wired headphones or your device's speaker for practice.
Does the metronome work on phones?
Yes, in any modern mobile browser. Keep the page open with the screen on, because phones pause background pages. On an iPhone, check the volume and, if you hear nothing, the silent switch, which can mute web audio.
Is this online metronome free?
Yes: free, with no sign-up and nothing to install, on computers, tablets and phones.
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