Online Metronome
Free online metronome with 20-300 BPM, tap tempo, time signatures and an accented first beat — precise audio clicks right in your browser.
About the Online Metronome
This online metronome plays a rock-steady click at any tempo from 20 to 300 BPM — no app install, no signup. Set the tempo with the slider, type an exact BPM, nudge it one beat at a time, or simply tap the Tap tempo button along with a song to measure its speed. The current tempo is labeled with its classical marking, from Largo to Prestissimo.
Choose a time signature from 1 to 7 beats per bar and the first beat of each bar plays as a higher-pitched accent, with a row of beat dots flashing in sync so you can follow the pulse visually as well. Turn the accent off for a plain, even click when you just need a pulse.
Unlike naive JavaScript timers that drift and stutter, this metronome schedules every click ahead of time on the Web Audio API's sample-accurate clock. That means the beat stays tight even when the browser tab is busy — reliable enough for real practice sessions, recording scratch takes and drum programming.
How to Use the Online Metronome
- 1Set your tempo with the slider, the exact BPM box, or by tapping Tap tempo in rhythm.
- 2Pick a time signature and choose whether to accent the first beat of each bar.
- 3Press Start — the click plays and the beat dots flash in time.
- 4Adjust the tempo live while it runs; press Stop when you're done.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this metronome compared to a hardware one?
Very accurate. Clicks are scheduled on the Web Audio API's audio clock, which is sample-accurate (fractions of a millisecond), rather than fired by ordinary JavaScript timers. Short of heavy system audio glitches, the spacing between clicks is as tight as a dedicated hardware metronome.
How does tap tempo work?
Tap the button in time with the music at least twice — ideally four to eight taps. The tool averages the intervals between your recent taps (ignoring pauses longer than three seconds) and sets the BPM to match. It's the fastest way to find the tempo of a song you're learning.
What tempo should I practice at?
Slower than you think. A common approach is to find the fastest tempo at which you can play a passage perfectly, drop 10-20 BPM below it, and only increase by 2-5 BPM once several repetitions in a row are clean. The exact BPM box makes those small increments easy.
Why don't I hear anything when I press Start?
Browsers block audio until you've interacted with the page, but clicking Start counts as that interaction, so first check your device volume and mute switch. On iPhones also check the silent-mode switch — Web Audio respects it in some configurations.
Can I use time signatures like 6/8 or 7/8?
Yes — choose 6 or 7 beats per bar and the first beat is accented. The metronome clicks straight eighth-note pulses for these meters; for compound feel (two dotted beats in 6/8) many players prefer setting 2 beats per bar at the corresponding dotted-quarter tempo.