Free online tool
Online metronome for guitar
Lock in a steady tempo and practice along — right in your browser, no install. Pick your BPM, set the time signature and hear the accent on beat 1.
- Tempo from 40 to 240 BPM with slider, ± buttons and tap-tempo
- Time signatures from 2/4 to 12/8 with an adjustable accent per beat
- Works on laptop and phone — vibrate per beat for silent practice
Tempo
100
bpm
Click a beat for accent · silent
Tip — tik 4× op “Tap tempo” om het tempo te zetten
Tap “Tap tempo” 4× to grab a song’s tempo. Click a beat dot to change its accent (normal · accent · silent).
Why a metronome
Why practice with a metronome?
A metronome gives a steady click on every beat. Practicing with it teaches you to play tightly in time — the foundation of playing well with others and of clean-sounding chord changes.
Tight timing
You learn to land exactly on the beat instead of just before or after it. You hear the difference in your rhythm straight away.
Steady tempo
Most beginners speed up on easy parts and slow down on hard ones. The metronome keeps you constant.
Measurable progress
You get a part clean at 80 BPM and push it to 120. The number shows your growth in black and white.
Better technique
Slow, tight practice builds clean chord changes, alternate picking and solos — playing faster follows on its own.
How to use the metronome
Play along in 5 steps
- 01
Pick your tempo
Set the BPM with the slider or the ± buttons. Start slow — better too slow than too fast.
- 02
Set the time signature
Choose 4/4 for most pop and rock, 3/4 for a waltz or 6/8 for a shuffle.
- 03
Listen for the “1”
The accent on the first beat marks the start of each bar. Click a beat dot to adjust accents.
- 04
Play along
Start it and play right on the click. Count the first bars out loud until you’re locked in.
- 05
Increase the tempo
Sounds clean? Raise it by +5 BPM and repeat. That’s how you build speed without losing timing.
💡 Rule of thumb: if you can play a part three times without mistakes at a tempo, it’s ready to go up +5 BPM.
Tempo & BPM
Which tempo matches which BPM?
BPM stands for “beats per minute” — the number of ticks per minute. The higher the BPM, the faster the tempo. These classic tempo markings give the feel of each range.
| Marking | BPM | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Largo | 40–60 | Very slow and broad — ballads and calm studies. |
| Adagio | 66–76 | Slow and calm — ideal for learning new pieces cleanly. |
| Andante | 76–108 | Walking pace — lots of singer-songwriter and acoustic songs. |
| Moderato | 108–120 | Moderate — a large chunk of pop sits here. |
| Allegro | 120–168 | Fast and upbeat — up-tempo pop, rock and folk. |
| Presto | 168–200 | Very fast — punk, metal and fiery solos. |
Not sure? Look up your song’s BPM or tap it in with tap-tempo, and practice at half that tempo first.
Time signatures
Which time signature do you pick?
The time signature sets how many beats are in a bar and where the accent falls. The top number is the beat count; the metronome accents beat 1 by default.
| Time signature | Beats | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 1-2-3-4 | By far most pop, rock and blues. Start here if in doubt. |
| 3/4 | 1-2-3 | Waltz feel — “1-2-3”, think of lots of folk and ballads. |
| 6/8 | 1-2-3 · 4-5-6 | Shuffle and swinging ballads — count in two groups of three. |
| 2/4 | 1-2 | Marches, polka and much country — a firm “1-2”. |
| 12/8 | 1…12 | Slow blues and doo-wop — a rocking, triplet feel. |
Don’t know the time signature? 4/4 is almost always right. Count along: where you naturally land back on “1” is where the bar starts.
Practice tips
6 tips to play tighter
Start slower than you think
You learn fastest at a tempo where everything is clean. Grooving in mistakes at too high a tempo costs double the time later.
Increase in small steps
+5 BPM at a time. You barely notice small jumps, but they add up fast.
Feel the “1”
Emphasize the first beat of each bar. That keeps you oriented, even in a tricky part.
Practice subdivisions
Play eighths or triplets against the click. Your timing tightens because you learn to feel the space between the ticks.
Record yourself
Listen back with the metronome in the mix. You’ll hear right away where you rush or drag.
Find the tempo with tap-tempo
Tap a song’s rhythm to find the BPM, and practice at half speed first.
Common mistakes
Where it often goes wrong
Starting too fast
Set it 10–20 BPM below what you “can” do. Clean and slow beats fast and sloppy.
Speeding up before it’s clean
Stay at a tempo until it’s truly mistake-free. Only then go up.
Only watching beat 1
Play every beat consciously on the click, not just the first. The ticks in between make your groove.
Fighting the click
Relax and let the click carry you instead of chasing it. Breathe with the tempo.
Never practicing without it
Now and then play the same part without a metronome. That tests whether the timing really comes from within.
Frequently asked questions
Metronome — frequently asked questions
What is a metronome?
A metronome is a device or tool that gives a steady click at a tempo you set (in BPM). You use it to learn to play tightly in time.Why practice with a metronome?
Because it trains your timing and a steady tempo. Beginners speed up on easy parts and slow down on hard ones — the metronome keeps you constant and makes your progress measurable in BPM.Which tempo (BPM) should a beginner pick?
Start low: 60–80 BPM is fine for most exercises. Choose a tempo where you play everything cleanly, then increase in small steps of +5 BPM.What does BPM mean?
BPM stands for “beats per minute”, the number of ticks per minute. 60 BPM is one tick per second; 120 BPM is two ticks per second.What is a time signature and which do I pick?
The time signature sets how many beats are in a bar. 4/4 (four beats) fits almost all pop and rock and is a safe default. 3/4 is a waltz, 6/8 a shuffle.How does tap tempo work?
Tap the “Tap tempo” button a few times in the rhythm of a song. The metronome calculates the BPM from that, so you can play along at the right tempo straight away.How do I increase the tempo without mistakes?
Play a part a few times without mistakes at your current tempo, then raise it by +5 BPM and repeat. If it falls apart, step back down. That builds speed while keeping your timing.Does this metronome work on my phone?
Yes. The metronome runs in the browser on laptop, tablet and phone — no install needed. On Android you can also turn on “vibrate per beat” to practice silently.What is the accent on beat 1?
It’s a slightly louder click at the start of each bar. It helps you hear where the bar begins, so you stay in time more easily. You can turn the accent on or off per beat.Is this online metronome free?
Yes, the metronome is completely free and needs no account. Want songs and lessons too? You can try Gitaartabs for € 1 for the first month.
Beyond just tempo
Practice along with real songs
The metronome is free. Want chords, tabs and lessons that bring you up to tempo step by step? Try Gitaartabs for € 1 the first month.
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Keep learning
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Learn songs
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Ready to play tight?
Turn on the metronome and practice your song up to tempo — or dive into the songs and lessons on Gitaartabs.