The duality of the metronome is such that it's probably the most boring, yet most useful bit of gear you'll ever buy. We musicians can spend thousands on our instruments, but these won't necessarily make us better players. Adding one of the best metronomes to your setup, however, is guaranteed to improve your playing abilities, and best of all, it's a relatively cheap addition if you need it to be.
A metronome is a device that keeps time, traditionally by a pendulum that swings from side to side in an even rhythm, but in modern times done by a machine with a variety of sounds to help you play better. The rhythm or feel of a piece of music is one of those core components that makes a song good, the thing that gets your head moving or foot tapping, so being able to do this well is the mark of a great musician.
The metronomes in this guide are sorted by use case, so if you're a drummer, guitarist, pianist, teacher, or any other kind of musician, you'll find a match for you here. If you just want the simple and quick option though, check out the Korg MA2, which is an ultra-low-cost option great for beginners or those on a budget who just want something simple to keep time.
If you're new to metronomes, go check out my how to choose section which breaks down everything you need to know. I've also curated a detailed FAQs section which answers all the common questions about this particular bit of utility gear that all musicians should own at least one of.
Best on a budget
✅ Buy if you want something simple and low cost: This Korg metronome is a simple and cheap option that will suit a wide variety of musicians.
❌ Avoid if you play complex rhythms: This is a pretty simple metronome, so if you want more complex rhythms and deeper features.
With this update to Korg’s bestselling MA-1 digital metronome, Korg have improved upon its predecessor in several areas while managing to keep the cost way down. The MA-2 sports a larger pendulum swing display that’s 30% bigger than that of the MA-1, and a beefed-up beep tone to address loudness problems encountered by users of the old model.
Factor in a new Timer mode and an impressive 400-hour battery life from a pair of AAA’s and you have a substantially improved package that still represents an absolute bargain.
If you can put up with the one and only beep tone, all that’s left is to choose which of the two available colours you want - it’s available in two-tone blue / black or black / red - and you’ll be ticking along nicely.
Best for drummers
✅ Buy if you're a drummer who wants to practice timing: The hands-on nature of this Boss metronome makes it great for drummers, allowing you to quickly and easily switch between different rhythms.
❌ Avoid if you play in low light: The screen doesn't feature a backlight, so it can be difficult to see in low light conditions.
More like a mini drum machine than a metronome, the Boss DB-90 is literally the all-singing, all-dancing king of the timekeepers, with a huge array of functions that are reflected - quite fairly, let’s face it - in its somewhat hefty price tag.
This seriously pro timekeeping tool has it all - four non-abrasive metronome sounds, including human voice count, realistic PCM drum sounds, 50 pattern memories, instrument input, and even a 5-pin MIDI input to sync to an external sequencer for onstage cueing.
Note mixing lets you adjust the levels of different note values to create new beat variations, and there’s an onboard Rhythm Coach training feature, complete with a built-in microphone, to build speed and accuracy. You only get a reference tone generator in place of an actual tuner, but metronome-wise, it looks like Boss thought of everything with the DB-90, making it a brilliant metronome for those who need lots of options.
Best for pianists
✅ Buy if you play piano and want a classic metronome: Based on the metronomes of old, this classic, pendulum-style metronome is unobtrusive and great for pianists or classical musicians.
❌ Avoid if you want features: It's pretty limited in its feature set however, so look elsewhere if you want more modern features.
Pyramid-style pendulum metronomes have just one job, at which they excel, and Wittner’s extensive range of models delivers just the right blend of antique style and modern build quality for those who prefer a traditional approach to timekeeping.
The Wittner 811 is the most popular model in the German company’s Maelzel range, and although there are admittedly few boxes to tick with this type of metronome, the 811 ticks all of them, with its smart wooden finish and classical tempo scale printed behind the pendulum shaft for reference.
It has a bell that can be set to indicate 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, or 6/8 time, chiming on the downbeat of each bar. If the bell selector is pushed fully in, it disables the bell and you just get a constant metronome tick. The 811 isn’t the cheapest option, but its timeless quality will make it well worth the expense.
Best for teachers
✅ Buy if you're regularly teaching: With its huge variety of features, one hand operation, and excellent volume, this is the perfect for companion for anyone who teaches an instrument.
❌ Avoid if you play in low light: The screen doesn't feature a backlight, so it can be difficult to see in low light conditions.
It resembles a traditional metronome, but the Korg KDM-3 is very much a feature rich, modern time keeper that can be adapted to a variety of situations. If you're teaching one on one or in groups, I think this is a great option for you.
A single button on the top of the unit controls stop start operation, and it blinks red and green lights to give you a visual cue. This makes it a really fast option if you're working with students who may need to go over sections again and again.
Despite it's small size, it's really loud, so will cut through nicely in group scenarios. With eight different sounds to choose from you'll have something for each situation, and it's got a traditional mechanical 'click' tone if that's what you prefer.
Best for composers
✅ Buy if you play in complex meter: The endlessly customisable Polynome app is brilliant for musicians who want to practice in more complex time signatures and with polyrhythms.
❌ Avoid if you're an Android user: Polynome is currently only available on iOS, so you won't be able to use it if you're rocking an Android phone.
Originally designed by a drummer for drummers, I've picked out Polynome as a great option for composers thanks to its superb customisation options and access to complex meter and polyrhythms. As an app-based metronome, it might put some musicians off, but if complex time is life, then this is the metronome you should go for.
The customisation options are second to none here, with the ability to go from 2 to 999bpm, as well as any time signatures up to 40/16. The tap tempo feature means you can quickly find your bpm, and the visual representation of polyrhythms is a fantastic learning tool for finding your way through complex rhythms. It's got a really cool random mute function, which will remove clicks to help you improve your internal counting.
I really like the voice counting feature, which makes it much easier to get used to complex time signatures by physically counting the beats out loud for you. It also does 'e' and 'a' sounds, so you can break down rhythms like '1-e-and-a', making it much easier to get your head around subdivisions and swing rhythms. Add in the ability to print setlists and create playlists, and you've got an incredibly powerful metronome for drummers, composers, and anyone else.
Best for gigging
✅ Buy if you want a metronome for gigging: A wearable metronome that allows you to feel the beat makes this an unobtrusive way to play to a click without loads of additional setup.
❌ Avoid if you need flexibility: This metronome is only really useful for the solo musician, so look elsewhere if you need a click that others can hear.
For those who dislike the clicking of a metronome tick, vibration may prove a less intrusive medium for timekeeping. This is where the Soundbrenner Pulse comes in, offering a haptic feedback solution for situations where an audible click may be difficult or impractical.
A 50cm diameter circular device that can be attached to one of two bundled straps and worn like a large smartwatch on your wrist, or alternatively across your arm or leg (or even across the body using an optional long strap), the Pulse vibrates to the beat and flashes an LED rather than playing an audible sound.
Like a smartwatch, the Pulse has a capacitive touch sensor for tapping interaction and a rotating outer wheel to select the tempo value. It communicates via Bluetooth with a slick and comprehensive companion app, allowing you to customise LED colour, alter vibration strength settings, add an audible click, create set lists, sync multiple Pulses together and much more.
"A sleek design with a smart user interface and a high level of connectivity, but it can be tricky to really feel the beat. Nonetheless, a great idea and worth trying out for yourself."
Read more: Soundbrenner Pulse review
Best for guitarists
✅ Buy if you want a metronome that fits on your pedalboard: This Walrus Audio pedal is a great way for guitarists to integrate a metronome into their existing setup.
❌ Avoid if you're on a budget: It's pretty pricey for a metronome, so look elsewhere if you want something that doesn't cost a fair bit.
The Walrus Audio Canvas Rehearsal is one of the most full-featured metronomes for guitarists you’ll ever see. This is a true multi-hyphenate rehearsal device, with a shedload of features all housed in a compact pedal format that’ll easily squidge onto the end of your pedalboard.
It isn’t just the format that sets the Canvas Rehearsal apart, though; more than a metronome, this is a mini-mixer that lets you sum all sorts of sources together – and hear them all, with a click, in either the stereo jack outputs or headphone amp output provided. There’s also MIDI In and Thru for clocking your metronome with external synths or backing tracks.
This feature-set is formidable, to say the least – and easily the missing link in many professional guitarists’ rehearsal setups. It does cost a pretty penny, but what you’re buying is a comprehensive solution for practice and gigging.
How to choose
On the face of it metronomes are pretty simple devices, but there's a lot of different metronomes available, and each has a lot of different features. If you're buying for the first time, then these are the key features I think you should consider before making a purchase.
1. Multiple sounds
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Metronome sound by their nature are very fatiguing on the ear. It's the same sound over and over again, so naturally our ear gets used to it fast. Having different sounds to play with has a different benefit too, as depending on what instruments you're playing certain tones can blend in, so having a good variety of click tones means you'll always have the right tool for the job.
2. Volume
A click you can't hear is useless, so if you're practicing with louder instruments like drums and electric guitars, then make sure the metronome you've selected has plenty of volume. Gathering this information can be difficult without trying out in person, so we've selected metronomes in this guide by use case in order to make things easier for you to find your perfect match.
3. Visual cues
Some people like a visual cue whereas others don't, so it's worth considering if you want this feature on your metronome. Visual cues can be great for those moments when the click disappears into the track, or just if you're the sort of person who reacts better to visual stimuli and auditory ones.
4. Power concerns
Some of the metronomes here are 'wind-up' which means they don't have a battery and you need to physically turn a key in order to get it to work. This also means they have a limited run time so you can't keep your click going forever.
Digital metronomes don't have this particular con, but you need to remember to switch it off if it doesn't have an auto power off, as you'll run the batteries down. While most digital metronomes have a battery meter, it's something you'll need to keep on top of lest it lets you down when you least need it to.
FAQs
Why do I need a metronome?
A metronome could easily be considered one of the more essential pieces of gear to buy as a practicing or performing musician. Our ability to keep time is something we take for granted, whether for practicing alone in silence or only ever playing against other musicians; if practicing in silence, you have nothing to measure your progress against, and if playing with others, you’re able to lean on other musicians for regularity.
Metronomes are designed to produce an audible tick at a constant rate of your choosing, selectable in beats per minute (BPM) so that the clicks or beeps keep you in time as you practice scales, arpeggios, exercises and complete pieces. This device is the ultimate breaker of bad habits, whether you start rushing through well-rehearsed solos or dragging behind your drummer. Put simply, rhythm training is a crucial part of learning any musical instrument, and a simple, even slightly passive route to making you a better musician overall.
What's the difference between a mechanical and digital metronome?
Dedicated hardware metronomes may be looked on as something of a redundancy to DAW-based musicians, as all computer-based workstations have a built-in metronome of some sort to keep you in time while recording new parts. Digital pianos also now all feature a built-in metronome as a matter of course, as do the best electronic drum sets. So why would you need an external one?
If you’re learning or practicing an acoustic instrument, you’ll at some point need to focus on how to play in time, especially if you’re a classical player aiming to take graded exams. For this scenario, a hardware metronome is an essential accessory, but they’re also useful in a live band setting for keeping everyone in sync.
As mentioned above, metronomes fall into two broad categories: mechanical and electronic. The traditional, pyramid-shaped wooden mechanical metronome is usually clockwork, involving a pendulum equipped with a sliding weight that you move up and down to determine the tempo.
Some models also feature a bell that can be used to indicate the downbeat, the time signature of which can be changed by pulling out a dedicated knob on the side of the unit.
Pendulum metronomes look great on the lid of a grand or upright piano, and have been a standard feature of music rooms since their invention in the early 1800’s. These days, the wooden casing is sometimes swapped out for a lighter, plastic equivalent, which can make the unit easier to carry around, but the basic principle remains unchanged.
Electronic metronomes are battery-powered and much more accurate than their traditional mechanical counterparts, and these days come brimming with additional features. They tend to be small enough to be nonchalantly chucked into an instrument case before or after a lesson.
Some have basic built-in tuners, handy for guitarists, violinists, or anyone whose instrument requires a regular tune-up before practice sessions or performances. Though we’d also recommend the best guitar tuners for players wanting a more dedicated tool. The most technologically-advanced models are wearables that resemble smartwatches and offer haptic feedback in the form of pulsed vibrations felt through the wrist, as well as the more conventional audible click or beep.
What other features should I look out for?
Some digital metronomes apply the Swiss Army knife approach and include a built-in digital tuner, handy for guitar, bass and string players, while others make do with a reference tone generator that lets you tune your instrument by ear.
At least one on our list - the Boss DB-90 - even acts as a sort of practice preamp for guitarists and bass guitar players, allowing them to plug their instrument directly into the unit and monitor it along with the click through the headphone output.
What are software metronomes?
You’ll find software metronomes built into every computer or tablet-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) as a matter of course, but these are tied into the functionality of the software as timing aids for recording new parts and not designed for use when practicing.
Of course, there are plenty of smartphone apps available for iOS and Android that function as metronomes. These are convenient, inexpensive and work perfectly well, but there are many situations where it’s preferable to turn off your phone and just sit down with a little box of ticks to practice distraction-free, so we’ve deliberately turned the spotlight on dedicated hardware metronomes for the purposes of this guide.
How we test
Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best metronomes available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability.
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Below you'll find more information on the expert authors of this guide.
Dave is an expert in all things keys, from beginner keyboards, to digital pianos, synths and beyond, and has been a music technology writer and product tester since 2007, contributing to the likes of Computer Music, iCreate, MusicRadar and Attack Magazine. Dave has also programmed and played keys on recordings by a range of world-renowned artists including George Michael, Kylie and Gary Barlow.
James Grimshaw is a freelance writer and music obsessive with over a decade of experience in music and audio writing. They’ve lent their audio-tech opinions (amongst others) to the likes of Guitar World, MusicRadar and the London Evening Standard – before which, they covered everything music and Leeds through their section-editorship of national e-magazine The State Of The Arts. When they aren’t blasting esoteric noise-rock around the house, they’re playing out with esoteric noise-rock bands in DIY venues across the country; James will evangelise to you about Tera Melos until the sun comes up.
Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at MusicRadar. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on audio interfaces, studio headphones, studio monitors, and pretty much anything else home recording-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping musicians find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites, including Guitar World, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.