Metronome
Click-track metronome at any tempo with downbeat accent.
Overview
The metronome plays a steady click at any tempo you choose, with an accented downbeat so you can feel the start of each bar. Set the BPM, pick a time signature (4/4, 3/4, 6/8, 5/4, 7/8 — anything), and hit start. It's the most basic and most essential practice tool in every musician's kit.
Players use it to build tempo accuracy on hard passages, lock in groove against a steady reference, and gradually push speed by ratcheting up the BPM in small steps. Producers use it as a manual tempo source when sketching ideas away from a DAW. Conductors and ensemble leaders rely on it for rehearsal counts and warm-ups.
How it works
A metronome simply triggers a sound at intervals of 60,000 / BPM milliseconds, with the first beat of every bar typically pitched differently or louder to mark the downbeat. The tool uses a precise scheduler tied to the system audio clock, so the click stays in time without drifting over long sessions — important when practising a 10-minute classical movement at 60 BPM.
Time signatures change the accent pattern. In 4/4 the accent lands every four clicks; in 3/4 every three; in 6/8 the accent typically lands on the dotted quarter (every three eighths) because 6/8 feels in two compound beats rather than six straight eighths. Some metronomes subdivide the beat further (16th-note clicks against quarter beats) to help with subdivision practice.
Examples
60 BPM, 4/4 → one click per second, accent every 4 seconds
120 BPM, 3/4 → click every 500 ms, accent every 1.5 s (waltz feel)
80 BPM, 6/8 → six eighths per 4.5 s, accent on beats 1 and 4
240 BPM, 4/4 → click every 250 ms (fast bebop)
FAQ
How fast can I speed up practice?
A common rule is "1-3 BPM per pass, only when you can play cleanly at the current tempo." Pushing faster than your control allows builds tension and sloppy timing.
Should I practice with a metronome on every note?
Not always. Many teachers recommend practicing with click on beats 2 and 4 (jazz feel) or only on the downbeat of each bar (advanced) to develop internal time-feel rather than dependency.
Does the click drift on long sessions?
A digital metronome locked to the audio clock should not drift audibly within a practice session. Hardware metronomes can drift; phones can drift if the OS preempts the audio thread, but well-designed apps stay stable.
How do I practice odd meters like 7/8?
Set the meter and let the accent guide you. It helps to mentally group 7/8 as 2+2+3 or 3+2+2; some metronomes let you customise which beats get the accent.
Is silent or visual-only metronome practice useful?
Yes. Practicing the inner pulse without an audible click (or with the click muted on certain beats) tests how strong your internal time is.