How to use the online metronome
- Set the tempo by typing a number from 20 to 300, using the -1, +1, -5 and +5 buttons, or dragging the slider.
- Choose the beats per bar from 1 to 12, whether to accent the first beat, a subdivision such as eighth notes, a sound and the volume.
- Press Start. The circles show the beats of the bar and the current beat lights up. Change the tempo while it plays, and the new tempo applies from the next click.
- Press Stop when you are done. Your settings are remembered in this browser for next time.
The timing behind the clicks
The gap between beats is 60 divided by the tempo in seconds. At 120 beats per minute that is 0.5 seconds, at 60 it is 1 second and at 90 it is about 0.667 seconds. A subdivision divides that gap: at 120 beats per minute eighth notes are 0.25 seconds apart, triplets about 0.167 seconds and sixteenth notes 0.125 seconds.
In 4/4 at 120 beats per minute, 10 seconds hold 20 beats, which is 5 bars, so the accent sounds 5 times. In 3/4 with eighth notes the pattern in each bar is accent, small click, beat, small click, beat, small click, and then it repeats.
Why it stays steady
Timers in web pages can drift when the page is busy. This metronome instead hands each click to the audio system with an exact start time a fraction of a second ahead, using the audio clock of your device. A small loop checks every 25 milliseconds and schedules the clicks that are due, so a brief slowdown of the page does not move a click that has already been scheduled.
Using the pattern settings
Set the beats per bar to match your music: 4 for common time, 3 for a waltz, 6 for compound time counted in sixes. The accent marks the start of each bar so you do not lose your place, and the subdivision adds quieter clicks between beats for practicing rhythms such as eighth notes or triplets. Start slowly and raise the tempo in small steps.
To find the tempo of a song, try the BPM tap counter. To move a song to a new key, use the chord transposer, to see how keys relate use the circle of fifths, and for timed practice rounds try the interval timer.
Assumptions and limits
- Tempo is counted in beats per minute, and the subdivision divides each beat equally. Swing and uneven patterns are not offered.
- Sounds are generated by your browser, so they work offline after the page loads. They are short tones, not recordings of real instruments.
- Sound needs your device volume up and a browser that allows audio. Some phones play nothing when the silent switch is on.
- Very fast tempos with sixteenth notes produce clicks only 50 milliseconds apart at 300 beats per minute, which some speakers reproduce poorly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use an online metronome?
Set the tempo in beats per minute, choose the beats per bar, and press Start. Play along with the clicks and adjust the tempo with the buttons or the slider as you go.
What does the accent do?
The accent plays a higher click on the first beat of every bar, so you can hear where each bar begins, which helps keep your place in longer pieces.
Does the tempo drift over time?
No. Each click is scheduled on the audio clock of your device, which does not depend on how busy the page is, so the beat stays even for as long as you play.
Can I change the tempo while it is playing?
Yes. Use the buttons, slider or number box. The new tempo starts from the next click without stopping the metronome.