A metronome is a simple tool, and one of the most widely used for learning to keep steady time. This is a step-by-step way to use it on a hard passage.
1. Find the original tempo
If you don't know the song's tempo, load it into the BPM & Key Finder. Or use the metronome's tap tempo button and tap along with the beat.
2. Start slow
Start a difficult passage at about 50–70% of the original tempo. Once you can play it three times in a row without a mistake, raise the BPM by about 4–8.
3. Subdivide
When the easy parts feel comfortable, feel the beat in eighth or sixteenth notes. Turn on the metronome's subdivision option.
4. Feel the downbeat
The first beat of each bar plays a higher click. In 4/4, that's the "one" in "one-two-three-four".
If you start making mistakes as you speed up, drop back one step. Playing it right comes before playing it fast.
Frequently asked questions
How slow should I start?
About 50–70% of the original tempo for a hard passage.
When should I speed up?
When you can play the passage three times in a row without a mistake, raise the tempo by about 4–8 BPM.
What if I start making mistakes at a faster tempo?
Go back one step and get it clean again before moving on.
How do I find a song's BPM?
Load the song into the BPM & Key Finder, or tap along with the tap tempo button.
Sources and date checked
Checked: October 3, 2026
- Wikipedia, Metronome — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metronome
This article is general information. Devices and services can change over time.
Related roundup: see How to Use Online Practice Tools for the full practice routine.