Metronome - Simple Metronome
This is a straightforward metronome for practising music. Pick a tempo anywhere from 30 to 300 beats per minute, choose how many beats are in a bar, and press play. A short click marks every beat, an optional accent sound marks the start of each bar, and a row of dots shows which beat you are on.
It is designed for musicians who want to open a page and start playing rather than navigate menus: guitarists working on a riff, pianists slowing down a difficult passage, drummers tightening their timing or singers learning a song's pulse. Your last tempo and time signature are remembered for next time.
It runs in the browser with no installation or account.
The app runs entirely in your browser. What you enter is saved only on this device.
How to use Metronome
- Set the tempo. Drag the slider to any value from 30 to 300 BPM, or tap one of the presets: 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180 or 200.
- Choose beats per bar. Open the Beat menu and choose from 2 to 8 beats. Use 4 for most pop and rock, 3 for waltzes and 6 for many compound-time pieces.
- Accent the first beat. Leave Accent on the first beat switched on to hear a different sound at the start of each bar, or turn it off for an even click.
- Start and stop. Tap the large play button to start. The beat dots light up as the metronome runs. Tap the same button to stop.
- Adjust while you practise. Change the tempo with the slider or presets between run-throughs. Your settings are saved automatically in this browser.
Features
- Tempo from 30 to 300 BPM in 1 BPM steps
- Eight one-tap tempo presets
- 2 to 8 beats per bar
- Optional accent sound on the first beat
- Visual beat indicator
- Remembers your last tempo, beats and accent setting
- No account or download needed
How to practise with a metronome
Start slower than you think
The most common mistake is practising at the speed you want to perform. Instead, find a tempo at which you can play a passage perfectly three times in a row, then raise it by a small step, around 4 to 8 BPM. If mistakes creep in, drop back. Progress made this way sticks because your hands learn the correct movement rather than the mistake.
Understanding BPM and time signatures
BPM counts beats per minute: 60 BPM is one beat per second, 120 BPM is two. Classical tempo markings give a rough guide: Largo is very slow (around 40 to 60), Andante is a walking pace (roughly 76 to 108), Allegro is fast (about 120 to 156) and Presto is very fast (170 and up). Exact ranges vary by source.
The time signature tells you how beats are grouped. In 4/4 you count 1-2-3-4, in 3/4 you count 1-2-3, and in 6/8 the six quick beats are usually felt as two larger pulses. Setting the beats per bar and turning on the accent makes the first beat of each bar easy to hear, which helps you keep your place.
Ways to use the click
Try placing the click on different beats. For swing or funk, set half the tempo and hear the clicks as beats 2 and 4. For fast passages, set the metronome to half speed and play two notes per click. Subdividing like this builds a strong internal pulse.
Record yourself occasionally. Listening back against the click reveals rushing and dragging much more clearly than you notice while playing.
Don't depend on it forever
Once a piece is secure, practise some run-throughs without the metronome to develop your own timing and musical phrasing, then check against the click again.
A useful routine is to alternate: one pass with the click, one without, then compare. If the unaccompanied pass drifts, go back to the click at a slightly slower tempo and focus on where the drift happened.
Frequently asked questions
I can't hear anything. What should I check?
Make sure your device isn't muted and the browser tab isn't muted. Browsers only allow sound after you interact with the page, so the first tap on play turns audio on. On iPhone, the ring/silent switch can mute web audio.
Is the timing accurate?
It is steady enough for everyday practice while the page is visible. Browsers slow down timers in background tabs, so keep the metronome tab in front, and avoid running heavy apps at the same time.
Where are my settings stored?
Your tempo, beats per bar and accent setting are saved only in this browser on this device. There is no account.
Does it have tap tempo or subdivisions?
No. It keeps things simple with a tempo slider, presets, beats per bar and a first-beat accent.
What is different from the phone app?
The iPhone and Android apps are the same metronome and show ads that a subscription removes. The web version has no ads or purchases.
Limitations of the web version
- Keep the tab visible; background tabs can make the beat uneven
- No tap tempo, subdivisions or volume control
- When you press play, the accent arrives at the end of the first bar rather than on the very first click
Phone app
Metronome is also available as an app for phones and tablets: