BeTap - Rhythm Training
BeTap is a rhythm trainer that listens to your taps instead of just playing a click. You choose a tempo between 40 and 240 BPM, press Start, and tap along with the beat. Every tap is compared with the nearest click and coloured instantly: green when it lands inside the allowed window, blue when you were early and red when you were late. When the session ends you get your average time lag in milliseconds, the number of taps that landed within range, and your total taps.
It is useful for drummers and other musicians who want to tighten their timing away from an instrument, for dancers and rhythm-game players, and for anyone who simply finds a steady beat a good way to focus for a minute.
It runs in the browser with no sign-up, and your tempo and mode are remembered for next time.
The app runs entirely in your browser. What you enter is saved only on this device.
How to use BeTap
- Pick a tempo. Scroll the BPM picker to any value from 40 to 240. 60 is one beat per second; 120 is a common pop and marching tempo.
- Choose a mode. Open the settings and select Relax, Focus or Precision. Each mode changes how close to the beat a tap must be to count as on time.
- Set the session length. In the same settings, choose 10 seconds for a quick check or 1 minute for a longer test.
- Press Start and listen. A short 3-2-1 countdown plays, then the click begins. Wait for the beat to settle in your head before you worry about accuracy.
- Tap on every click. Tap the screen, click the mouse or press on a touchpad in time with the beat. Watch the colour flash after each tap to see whether you are rushing (blue) or dragging (red).
- Review the result. When the time is up, the result panel shows your average time lag, allowable taps and total taps. Share it if you want, then try again or change the tempo.
Features
- Tempo from 40 to 240 BPM with an audible click
- Three tolerance modes: Relax (within 100 ms), Focus (within 50 ms) and Precision (within 20 ms)
- Session lengths of 10 seconds or 1 minute
- Instant colour and sound feedback for on-time, early and late taps
- Result panel with average time lag, on-time taps and total taps
- Share your results
- Tempo and mode remembered in this browser
Practising timing: what to listen for and how to improve
What BPM means
BPM stands for beats per minute. At 60 BPM there is exactly one second between clicks, at 120 BPM half a second, and at 240 BPM only a quarter of a second. Slow tempos are often harder than they look, because the long gaps give your internal clock more time to drift. Fast tempos test how quickly and evenly you can move.
Reading early and late
Almost everyone has a habit. Many beginners rush, tapping a little ahead of the click, especially at slow tempos where the waiting feels uncomfortable. Others drag, reacting to the sound instead of anticipating it, which makes every tap late by roughly a reaction time. If BeTap flashes mostly blue you are ahead of the beat; mostly red means behind.
The goal is not to react to the click but to predict it. Musicians describe this as feeling the pulse: you should be moving towards the next tap before you hear it, so the tap and the click arrive together.
How tight is tight?
A window of 100 milliseconds is forgiving and good for warming up or for people new to rhythm practice. Fifty milliseconds is close to the range where listeners start noticing a note is slightly off. Twenty milliseconds is demanding even for experienced players and is a good stretch target. Start at Relax and only move up when most of your taps are green.
A simple practice routine
Begin at a comfortable middle tempo, such as 90 or 100 BPM, in Relax mode for a few 10-second rounds. Then try one-minute rounds, which reveal whether your timing drifts as concentration fades.
Next, practise the tempos that trouble you. Go slow, around 60 BPM, to fight rushing, and gradually faster to build control. Changing the tempo by small steps, perhaps 5 BPM at a time, gives your body time to adjust.
Try subdividing in your head: count "one-and-two-and" between clicks so the gap is filled with an imagined half-beat. This is one of the most reliable ways to stop rushing at slow tempos.
Short daily sessions tend to help more than one long one. Five minutes a day for a week is a good experiment.
Using your whole body
Tapping a foot or nodding your head along with the finger tap helps many people lock in, because larger body movements keep time more steadily than a fingertip alone. Dancers and drummers often feel the pulse through the body before the hands.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my taps sound late even when I feel on time?
Wireless headphones and some speakers add audio delay, so the click reaches you slightly after the app plays it. Wired headphones or the device's built-in speaker usually give more reliable results.
What is the average time lag?
It is the average distance, in milliseconds, between your taps and the nearest click during the session. A smaller number means you were closer to the beat overall.
Which tolerance mode should I use?
Use Relax to warm up or learn, Focus once most taps are green, and Precision when you want a real challenge.
Where are my settings stored?
Your tempo and mode are saved only in this browser on this device. There is no account and nothing is uploaded. Clearing your browser data resets them, and session results are not kept as a history.
How is the web version different from the phone app?
The training itself is the same. The iPhone and Android apps offer an unlimited-length session as an extra; on the web you can choose 10 seconds or 1 minute.
Can I use the keyboard?
Taps are made by clicking or touching the tap area. On a phone or tablet, tapping the screen with a finger is the most natural.
Limitations of the web version
- Session length is limited to 10 seconds or 1 minute on the web
- Results are not saved as a history
- Audio latency from Bluetooth headphones can make taps look late
Phone app
BeTap is also available as an app for phones and tablets: