Is this online metronome free?

Yes. The metronome is completely free, needs no account, and runs entirely in your browser with no download.

How accurate is a browser metronome?

This one schedules every click ahead of time on the Web Audio clock instead of relying on JavaScript timers, so the spacing between clicks is exact rather than drifting by a few milliseconds per beat like a setTimeout metronome.

Tap the Tap Tempo button in time with the music and the metronome averages your taps to work out the BPM. Tap at least two times; four or more taps give a steadier reading because outliers are discarded.

Can it play a 6/8 or 7/8 feel?

Yes. Pick 6/8, 9/8 or 12/8 and the accents fall on the group starts (1 and 4 in 6/8, for example). 7/8 is available too, and you can set any numerator from 1 to 12 with a beat unit of 2, 4, 8 or 16.

Does the metronome keep playing in a background tab?

It keeps playing while you switch tabs: the scheduler automatically looks further ahead when the page is hidden so background timer throttling cannot create a gap in the beat.

Online Metronome — Free Tap Tempo Metronome with Subdivisions

Set a tempo, pick a time signature and press Start. The pendulum swings once per beat, the dots light up in turn, and the first beat of every bar is accented so you can feel where the bar begins.

Why the timing does not drift

Most simple web metronomes drive clicks from setInterval, which is throttled and jittery — the error accumulates and the beat wanders. This one uses the standard lookahead scheduler pattern: a fast timer only queues clicks, and each click is scheduled on the Web Audio clock at an exact time a fraction of a second in the future. The audio hardware plays it sample-accurately, so the gap between beats stays exact no matter how busy the page is.

If you switch to another tab the scheduler automatically looks further ahead, so background timer throttling cannot punch a hole in the beat while you read a score.

Time signatures and subdivisions

The numerator is how many beats are in a bar (1 to 12) and the beat unit is the note value that gets the beat — 4 for a quarter-note beat, 8 for an eighth-note beat. Compound meters such as 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 are accented in groups of three automatically (beats 1 and 4 in 6/8), which is the feel those meters actually have.

Subdivisions add extra clicks between the main beats: 2 gives eighths in 4/4, 3 gives triplets, 4 gives sixteenths. Subdivision clicks are quieter so you can still hear where the beat is.

Tempo markings

Marking	BPM	Feel
Grave	20–29	Very slow, solemn
Largo	30–49	Broad and slow
Lento	50–59	Slow
Adagio	60–65	Slow, at ease
Andantino	66–75	A little faster than Andante
Andante	76–107	Walking pace
Moderato	108–119	Moderate
Allegro	120–155	Fast and bright
Vivace	156–175	Lively
Presto	176–199	Very fast
Prestissimo	200–300	As fast as possible

Boundaries between tempo markings have always been approximate — different editions disagree. These are the ranges most commonly used today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use tap tempo?

Press Tap Tempo (or the T key) in time with the music, at least twice. The metronome averages the gaps between your taps. With four or more taps it discards the slowest and fastest tap first, so a hesitant tap does not throw the reading off. Stop tapping for 2.5 seconds and the next tap starts a fresh measurement.

Why does nothing happen when I press Start?

Browsers only allow audio to begin after you interact with the page, so the first press of Start both starts the beat and unlocks audio. If you still hear nothing, check the volume slider, the system volume, and that the tab is not muted.

What is the difference between 4/4 and 6/8?

In 4/4 the bar has four quarter-note beats with the accent on beat 1. In 6/8 the bar has six eighth-note beats that group into two, so the accents fall on beats 1 and 4 — a lilting feel rather than a march. This metronome applies those group accents for you.

Does it work offline or on a phone?

Yes to both. Everything is generated in the browser with the Web Audio API — there are no sound files to download. Once the page has loaded it works with no connection, and the layout is built for phone screens, so it can sit on a music stand.

Will it keep time in a background tab?

Yes. When the page is hidden the scheduler increases its lookahead window so the beat continues seamlessly while you read or record in another window.