Metronome

About this tool

A metronome with the timing precision of the Web Audio API — clicks are scheduled on the audio clock, not JavaScript timers, so the beat stays rock-steady even when the tab is busy. Set BPM directly, nudge it in ±1 and ±10 steps, or tap the tempo in; choose a time signature from 2/4 through 7/8; and accent the downbeat if you want beat one marked.

When to use it

• Daily instrument practice — scales, passages, and grooves against a reliable pulse.
• Learning a difficult passage by starting well under tempo and stepping up in small increments.
• Checking your internal tempo: play, then tap what you played into Tap Tempo and see where you drifted.

The slow-practice ladder

Take a passage you can't play cleanly at its target of 120 BPM. Set the metronome to 80 and play it perfectly three times in a row. Use +10 twice and +1s to climb — 90, 100, 108, 116 — never advancing until the current tempo is clean. Most players find the passage arrives at 120 in a few sessions this way, because the hands learn accuracy first and speed second.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the tempo have a name like Allegro next to it?

Those are traditional tempo markings from classical music — Adagio (slow, ~66–76 BPM), Andante (walking, ~76–108), Moderato, Allegro (fast, ~120–156), Presto (~168+). The label updates as you change BPM.

What does the time signature setting change?

It sets how many beats form a bar, which controls where the accent falls. In 4/4 you hear one accented click followed by three regular ones; in 3/4, one accented plus two. Turn Accent First Beat off for an undifferentiated pulse.

How accurate is tap tempo?

It averages the intervals between your recent taps, so tap at least four steady beats — more taps, better estimate. It's ideal for matching a recording: tap along, read the BPM, set it.

Why does this stay in time better than metronome apps I've tried?

Clicks here are pre-scheduled on the browser's audio hardware clock rather than fired by timers, which drift under load. The result is sample-accurate spacing between clicks.