About the Online Metronome
This online metronome keeps rock-steady time in your browser. Set the tempo from 20 to 300 BPM, pick a time signature such as 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 or 7/8, accent the first beat of every bar and add subdivisions — eighth notes, triplets or sixteenths — to tighten your inner pulse. Clicks are scheduled with the Web Audio clock, so timing stays accurate even when the page is busy, and you can adjust the tempo while it plays.
Musicians use it for scales and technique practice, learning a tricky passage slowly and then speeding it up, band rehearsals and recording sessions, and drummers use it to work on groove. The practice planner below shows how long each beat and bar lasts and how many beats and bars fit into your practice session.
The BPM counts the beat shown in the time signature’s top number: in 4/4 that is the quarter note, and in 6/8 each click is an eighth note. Tempo markings such as Andante or Allegro are given as a rough guide, since their traditional ranges overlap.
With the default inputs, the time between beats is 600 ms. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the online metronome
- 1Set the tempo with the slider, the +/− buttons or by tapping the Tap button in time.
- 2Choose a time signature and, if you like, a subdivision.
- 3Leave the accent on to hear a stronger click on beat one.
- 4Press Start (or the space bar) and play along; change the tempo while it runs if needed.
- 5Use the speed-up ladder to raise the tempo gradually as you improve.
Formula and method
BPM is the number of beats in one minute, and a minute is 60,000 milliseconds, so the time between beats is 60,000 ÷ BPM. Subdivisions split each beat evenly: two clicks per beat for eighth notes, three for triplets and four for sixteenths.
A bar contains the number of beats in the top of the time signature, so its length is the beat time multiplied by that number. Over a practice session the total beats are BPM × minutes, and bars are beats ÷ beats per bar. The metronome itself schedules each click slightly ahead on the Web Audio clock for sample-accurate timing.
- BPM
- Beats per minute of the counted beat
- subdivision
- Clicks per beat (1, 2, 3 or 4)
- beats per bar
- Top number of the time signature
Worked examples
120 BPM in 4/4 with eighth notes, 10-minute session
At 120 BPM each beat is 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500 ms, and eighth-note subdivisions click every 250 ms (240 clicks a minute). A 4/4 bar lasts 2 seconds, so a 10-minute session contains 1,200 beats or 300 bars.
Waltz at 90 BPM in 3/4, 5 minutes
Each beat lasts 60,000 ÷ 90 = 666.7 ms and a 3-beat bar exactly 2 seconds. Five minutes at 90 BPM is 450 beats, or 150 bars of 3/4.
6/8 at 150 BPM, clicking every eighth note
With each eighth-note click at 150 BPM lasting 400 ms, a 6/8 bar of six clicks takes 2.4 seconds. Four minutes gives 600 clicks, or 100 bars.
Frequently asked questions
What BPM should I practise at?+
Start at a tempo where you can play the passage cleanly and relaxed — often 60–70% of the target — then increase by 2–5 BPM (or about 5%) once it feels easy, until you reach performance speed.
How does BPM work in 6/8 time?+
Metronomes count clicked beats. In 6/8 you can click every eighth note (six per bar) or set the BPM to the dotted-quarter pulse and use triplet subdivisions to hear two main beats per bar with three clicks each.
What tempo is Allegro?+
Allegro is roughly 120–156 BPM, Andante about 76–108, Adagio about 66–76 and Presto around 168–200. Traditional ranges overlap, so composers’ metronome marks take priority.
Why use subdivisions on a metronome?+
Subdivisions fill the space between beats with quieter clicks, which makes slow tempos much easier to keep steady and helps you place eighth-note, triplet and sixteenth-note rhythms precisely.
Is an online metronome accurate?+
Yes, when it schedules clicks on the Web Audio clock, as this one does, rather than relying on JavaScript timers. Clicks are sample-accurate; very old devices or Bluetooth headphones may add a constant delay.