Sign in
Play

Metronome

BPM, beats, tap tempo

100BPM

Subdivision

Sound

Space to start/stop

A free metronome that runs in your browser. Set a BPM and a time signature for a steady pulse, or tap the tempo in by hand. No install, no sign-up.

  • BPM is beats per minute. At 60, one beat lands every second.
  • Start a new passage around 60–80 BPM and raise it by 5 once you can play it three times in a row without a mistake.
  • 4/4 means four beats to a bar, 3/4 means three. The first beat of each bar is accented.

How to practise with a metronome

  1. 1Pick the time signature of the piece and set a BPM slow enough that you can follow it comfortably.
  2. 2Line your picking hand up with the accented first beat. Feel the pulse rather than counting it.
  3. 3Isolate the bar you keep missing and loop just that, slower. It improves far faster than replaying the whole piece from the top.

Frequently asked questions

I cannot stay with the metronome.
Almost always the tempo is simply too fast. Drop it until it feels boringly slow — often 40–50 BPM — and stay there until it is effortless. Climbing by 5 from there beats repeating mistakes at speed.
What is tap tempo for?
Use it when you do not know the BPM of a song you are listening to. Tap along in time four or more times and the tempo is taken from the average gap.
Should I practise with the metronome on all the time?
No. Turn it on when you are learning a passage accurately or pushing the tempo, and off when you want to play the piece as music. Alternating between the two works best.