Online Time Signature Metronome
Pick a meter, split the bar into beat groups, and hear exactly where the accents fall.
Mouse & touch
- Preset chips (2/4, 3/4 … 12/8) set the numerator, denominator and a sensible default grouping in one tap.
- Beats / Unit steppers change the numerator (1–16) and the denominator (2, 4, 8, 16). Changing the numerator rebuilds the default grouping.
- Tap a divider between two cells to open or close a group boundary. An open boundary is a thick coloured line; the bracket, the accents and the click pattern update instantly. This is how you turn 7/8 into 3+2+2, 2+3+2 or 2+2+3.
- Tap a beat cell to mute or unmute that unit — the cell goes dashed and stays silent, but keeps its place in the bar. Useful for gap-click practice.
- Grouping chips jump straight to the useful groupings for the current numerator (rotations of the default, all‑2s, all‑3s, all‑4s, one group).
- Reset restores 4/4 at 120 BPM with no mutes. Unmute all clears only the muted cells.
Keyboard
- Space start / stop (when focus is not on a button or slider) · R reset
- ↑ / ↓ tempo ±1 (hold Shift for ±10)
- ← / → tempo ±5 — but inside the bar grid they move focus from cell to divider to cell.
- Enter or Space on a focused cell toggles mute; on a focused divider it opens or closes that group boundary.
- 1–9 set the numerator, 0 sets 10 · D cycles the denominator 2 → 4 → 8 → 16.
- Arrow keys are never hijacked while a slider or the sound menu has focus.
Conventions
- BPM always counts the denominator note. 6/8 at 120 means 120 eighth notes per minute, which is 40 dotted-quarter pulses per minute (120 ÷ 3). The pulse figure is shown for you.
- Each grid cell is one denominator unit, not one beat. In compound meters three cells make one felt beat, and the bracket above them shows the dotted note that beat is worth.
- Three accent levels are used: the bar downbeat (loudest, highest), a group accent on every other group start, and a plain weak click on the rest.
- The big number in a cell is the count within its group (1 2 3 | 1 2 | 1 2); the small number in the corner is its absolute position in the bar.
- Clicks are scheduled against the audio clock with a lookahead scheduler, so the tempo will not drift.
Tip 1: set 7/8 and cycle 3+2+2 → 2+3+2 → 2+2+3 while it plays — same seven eighth notes, three completely different grooves.
Tip 2: compare 6/8 with 3/4 at the same eighth-note tempo. Same six eighths in a bar, but 6/8 groups them 3+3 (two dotted-quarter beats) and 3/4 groups them 2+2+2 (three quarter-note beats). That is the classic hemiola.
Tap a divider between cells to move a group boundary · tap a cell to mute it
Audio starts on your first tap or key press, as browsers require.
This is a great metronome that allows you to learn complex rhythms using an online time signature metronome. With this, you can create unique combinations of beats and listen to how they sound including which ones has an accent on them. It also features the option to adjust metronome quickly either via your computer keyboard or by moving mouse.
To begin select one of the pre-set chips located above. This include some popular meters such as 7/8, 6/8 and 4/4. With a single press, each button configures the numerator, denominator, and the beat grouping.
How to Use the Metronome Tool
Alternatively, if you need something outside of the pre-sets just use the Beats per bar steppers to adjust the numerator. Adjust the denominator using the Beat unit chips. You’ll notice that large display on the right immediately reflects your selected time signature.
In the middle is the meat of the tool, the grid. One unit of the denominator note equal one cell. The thin dividing lines between cells allow you to tap and drag them to adjust position of the group boundaries. This allows you to convert a general 7/8 meter into more specific patterns such as 2+3+2 or 3+2+2 etc. Above the groups is the brackets indicating the note value of each beat.
The clicks change volume to match the accent pattern. Tap each cell in grid to turn it off (or mute). That makes a gap in the click pattern. Tap the group of chips beneath the grid to move between commonly used patterns and symmetrical groupings. It’s great for concentrating on certain clicks, practicing rhythm independence, etc. To clear out all your muted cells just hit the Unmute All button.
Below the grid are the plus and minus buttons or the slider to control the tempo. The denominator note always counts the beats per minute (BPM). In the readout section of the tool, the felt pulse is calculated for you. There’s a choice between three types of click sound: Woodblock, Beep or Click. Use the volume slider to make sure that you hear the metronome without it being too loud.
With your fingers on keyboard, you have immediate control over it all. To begin and halt the metronome, press the Space key. To change the tempo, simply press the corresponding arrow key. If you want to increase/decrease by a ten-beats-per-minute interval rather then just one beat, hold down the Shift key before pressing the arrows. To return to the steady default (a time signature of 4/4), press R.
The numerals 1-9 on your keyboard will set the top number of the time signature; then hit D to select from available bottom number options.
To develop your internal clock, experiment by adding other rhythms. Set a 7/8 metronome setting and use the grouping chips to hear different patterns. This shows the difference in feeling the same seven beats grouped differently (2+2+3 vs. This is a grouping of 3+2+2. 3+2+2).
Alternatively, choose two that are similar but not the same like 3/4 and 6/8. This will help illustrate distinction between simple and compound time signatures.
Using mute for certain beats helps in hearing the rhythm without needing to count each one. Press play and count along, feeling where accented sounds is placed. Try changing the tempo. Try changing the grouping. See if you can feel a groove that realy tests your sense of timing.
As you get better at it, use the keyboard shortcuts to adjust as you go. Experiment with various patterns and see how they changes your sense of the beat.