Metronome
A free online metronome — set the BPM, pick a time signature, and practise to a steady click with an accented downbeat.
Tap the button in time to set the BPM.
This online metronome plays a steady click at the tempo you set in beats per minute (BPM). Choose a BPM from 40 to 240, pick a time signature, and press start — the first beat of each bar is accented with a higher pitch. Use tap tempo to find a song’s BPM by tapping along.
What a metronome does
A metronome sounds a click at even intervals so you can play or sing in time. The speed is measured in beats per minute (BPM): at 60 BPM there is one click every second, and at 120 BPM the clicks come twice as fast. The accented downbeat marks the start of each bar, which helps you feel the meter — where beat one falls in 3/4 versus 4/4, for example.
Tempo markings and their BPM ranges
Classical scores name the tempo in Italian rather than in numbers. The terms describe a speed range rather than a single value, so the same marking can sit anywhere inside its band. Largo is very slow and broad, Andante is a walking pace, Allegro is fast and lively, and Presto is very fast. Reading a marking and dialling in a BPM inside its range lets you rehearse a piece at a historically sensible speed before pushing it faster.
Practising with a click
The click is an unforgiving but honest partner. Start a passage well below performance tempo — slow enough that every note lands exactly on or between beats — then raise the BPM a few points at a time once it is clean. Because the metronome never rushes or drags, it exposes the spots where you do, which is precisely what makes it the fastest way to build steady, reliable time.
Common tempo markings and their BPM ranges
Italian tempo terms describe a range; the exact BPM within each band is the performer’s choice.
| Marking | Character | BPM range |
|---|---|---|
| Largo | Very slow, broad | 40–60 |
| Adagio | Slow, at ease | 66–76 |
| Andante | Walking pace | 76–108 |
| Moderato | Moderate | 108–120 |
| Allegro | Fast, lively | 120–168 |
| Presto | Very fast | 168–200 |
Getting the most from it
If a passage keeps falling apart at speed, drop the tempo until it is comfortable and rebuild from there — trying to force it fast only rehearses the mistakes. For subdivided practice, set the BPM to the subdivision (double it for eighth notes) so every small note gets its own click. And when you are learning a song by ear, use tap tempo: tap the button along with the recording and the metronome averages your taps into a BPM you can then practise against.