How to use the metronome
Set the tempo with the slider, the +/− buttons or your arrow keys (hold Shift to jump by 5). Press Start or the space bar. The amber dot shows where you are in the bar, and the first beat clicks higher so you never lose count.
Know the song but not the number? Press Tap to set (or the T key) in time with the music and the metronome picks up your tempo. You can also tap the tempo first and press Play it back there.
The clicks are scheduled by your browser's audio engine a fraction of a second ahead, not by an ordinary timer, so they stay exactly in time even if your phone is busy or the tab is in the background.
A simple way to practise with a click
- Find the tempo where you can play the passage cleanly three times in a row. That's your starting point, even if it's slow.
- Raise it by 4 to 5 BPM and play it three more times.
- When it falls apart, drop back 8 to 10 BPM and finish the session there. Ending on clean repetitions sticks better than ending on mistakes.
- Write down the tempo you reached. Start a few BPM below it next time.
Need one tempo again and again? Every tempo from 30 to 240 has its own page you can bookmark, for example 60 BPM, 90 BPM or 120 BPM. See them all on metronome by BPM.
For tricky rhythms, set clicks per beat to 2 or 4 so you hear the eighths or sixteenths. For swing and shuffle feels, use 3 (triplets).
Picking the time signature
4/4 covers most pop, rock and dance music. 3/4 is waltzes and many folk songs. 6/8 is counted in two big beats of three eighths each; here it clicks six times per bar with the accent on one, which is how most players practise it at first. Choose "1 beat" if you want a plain click with no bar at all.
Questions
Why can't I hear anything on my iPhone?
Check the ring/silent switch on the side of the phone. When it's set to silent, Safari mutes web audio, including this metronome. Turn the switch to ring and raise the volume.
Does it keep playing with the screen off?
On most Android phones it does. iPhones usually pause web audio when the screen locks, so keep the screen on while you practise.
How accurate is it?
Each click is placed on your device's audio clock, which is accurate to the sample, about 0.02 ms. Any drift you hear is coming from the speaker or Bluetooth delay, not the timing.
What tempo should I start at?
Slower than you think. If you're learning a song, start at about 70% of its real tempo. The tempo markings chart shows what Andante, Allegro and the other Italian terms mean in BPM.
Is there a metronome for CPR?
Yes. The CPR metronome is set to 110 beats per minute, the middle of the recommended range for chest compressions.