Rhythm Subdivision Trainer
Feel the quarter-note pulse underneath, then switch cleanly between eighths, triplets, sixteenths and beyond.
What you are looking at
- Each ladder row is one beat split into that many equal parts: 1 quarter, 2 eighths, 3 triplets, 4 sixteenths, 5 quintuplets, 6 sextuplets, 7 septuplets.
- The syllables under the cells are the counting words: 1 · 1 & · 1 trip-let · 1 e & a · 1-2-3-4-5 · 1 la li 2 la li · 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.
- The first cell of every row is the beat itself. It sounds as a low wood click; the in-between subdivisions are quieter and higher, so the pulse always stays audible underneath.
Mouse and touch
- Click or tap any ladder row to switch to that subdivision. While playing, the change lands on the next beat boundary — never mid-beat — and the row shows a dashed outline until it takes effect.
- Click the small check box to the left of a row to add or remove that level from the drill pool. Filled = in the pool.
- Random-switch drill makes the widget choose a new subdivision from the pool every 1, 2, 4 or 8 bars. It announces the change one full bar ahead: the cue bar lights up, the target row goes dashed, and the bar countdown tells you how long you have.
- Drag the tempo and volume sliders; use − / + for beats per bar; Reset restores every setting and clears the bar count.
Keyboard
- Click the widget once so it has focus, then: Space start / stop.
- 1–7 jump straight to that subdivision level.
- ↑ / ↓ move one step up or down the ladder.
- ← / → tempo −1 / +1 BPM (hold Shift for 5).
- D toggles the drill. Arrow keys are left alone while a slider or text field has focus.
Tips
Start slow — 60–70 BPM — with only levels 2 and 3 in the pool and count out loud. The hard part is not playing triplets, it is the seam between "1 e & a" and "1 trip-let", so drill just those two first. Once the switch is clean, add 4 and 6: sextuplets are two triplets per beat, which is why they count "1 la li 2 la li".
The Rhythm Subdivision Trainer will help you learn more advanced rhythmic patterns in your playing. Here you can count and hear what a subdivision of the beat sound like. You can play it using mouse or trackpad on the interface. You can also use your computer keyboard to control everything quickly, this makes practicing faster.
You are aiming to maintain an even pulse internally and switch easy from one rhythmic grouping to another.
How to Use the Rhythm Subdivision Trainer
To start the metronome, simply click the Start button. To stop it and re-start it again, just hit the Space bar. Each beat the metronome sound a low click. Each subdivision sounds a quiet but higher click. There is also a ladder on the screen that highlights the current subdivision. At the bottom there are little dots that illuminate to indicate what beat of the bar you are playing. This provides a clear visual reference as you count out loud.
The metronome is adjustable by a tempo slider which allows you to drag to increase/decrease the metronome speed or use the left/right arrow keys on the keyboard to make tiny adjustments. If you hold shift whilst pressing the left/right arrows then you will make bigger adjustments which allows you to find a suitable speed based off your ability. You do not need to hunt around in menus.
How loud do you want the click? This is set by the master volume slider. You can adjust that to fit your needs. Maybe you like it quieter when practicing alone or in a quiet room. Turn it down. Maybe you’re practicing somewhere noisy and want the subdivisions to be distinct. Turn it up. The volume stay as you continue to practice. Once set at the start, that’s it.
You can alter the time signature using the beats per bar control. Just press the minus and plus buttons to increase or decrease the number of beat contained within a single bar. It is ideal for practicing in various musical situations. You’ll notice on screen that it displays the active time signature i.e., 3/4 or 4/4. Altering this will reset the number of bars, in turn, the visual dot of the beats will update.
To select the rhythmic pattern you want to use, there’s the main interface (the subdivision ladder). Simply click on any row to instantly change to it. The widget will change at next beat so it doesn’t disrupt the pulse. Each row shows the name of the subdivision and the syllables to count, like 1 e and a for sixteenths or 1 trip let for triplets. You can also jump straight to a level of subdivision by pressing number keys 1-7.
With the drill mode, you can easily change subdivisions with automatic timing and practice changing from one to another. To turn this drill on, click the random switch drill button. Next, check off the subdivisions you’d like in the pool on the left side of the ladder. Then the widget will randomly pick a different subdivision from your pool every so many bars. You can determine how frequently that occurs by selecting 1, 2, 4, or 8 bars. It will give you a cue bar at the top letting you know when it’s about to switch over. That way you have some time to get ready for it.
A single switch enables or disables the accented toggle that makes the first beat of every bar sound louder. Switch it on if you want the downbeats of each bar to stand out from the rest of the bar. It provides a clear indication of bar structure and keeps your sense of phrasing whole. Switch it off if you don’t need the accent and would like a flatter click across all beats. The beat dots will also reflect this setting, with the first dot highlighted when accents are on. With the accent turned on, the first dot is highlighted.
There is also a quick reference guide that opens via the help button. Here you get a list of all the control functions and keyboard shortcuts. You also get an explanation of each subdivision’s counting system and syllables. If you have forgotten how to count septuplets or quintuplets then this is where you will find them. Click on the button again and it closes the help panel.
The fullscreen button makes the widget expand to fill your whole screen. It is great for getting an even bigger picture of the beat dots and subdivision ladder. It also gets rid of any distractions on the surrounding webpage. Click the same button again, or press the Escape key to exit fullscreen.
Start slowly to develop accuracy by slowing the tempo to 60 or 70 beats per minute. Only include two subdivisions in your pool such as triplets and eighths. As each click of the metronome sounds, count the syllable(s) aloud. Concentrate on the change between one subdivision more then the next. When you are switching smoothly, expand your pool to include additional subdivisions. As your confidence improves, gradually speed up the tempo. It develops muscle memory but doesn’t overwhelm your brain.
Underneath whatever subdivision you play, the trainer will guide you with a pulse of a quaver (or quarter note). Even if you’re playing complicated patterns such as quintuplets, you can hear the click of the beat. It holds you in time so you don’t drift off. You can also see on the bottom read-out exactly how many milliseconds each beat and tick lasts. From this you learn about the maths behind the subdivisions.
Change the time signature and work on your flexibility. Move it from a 4/4 beat to a 5/4 or even a 3/4 time signature. It will change how you count and force you to think about your phrasing. Let the widget do all the hard work of keeping time for you. Simply concentrate on absorbing the feel of the rhythm.
Short regular practice is better than infrequent extended practice. Train yourself to keep on top of things and develop your ears. With that, you’re armed with everything you need to get more accurate with rhythm.
Mess around with it, see what’s on the edge of being too hard. Use the keyboard shortcuts for speed and the mouse for precision. You can slot it into whatever practice regime works best for you. Click away and count along, and notice how much better your timing sounds.