For many musicians, the help of a metronome is essential to mastering a new piece of music. As a violinist, I am always looking for apps that make practicing easier. Using our mobile devices, many resources are at our fingers, including countless metronome apps and rhythmic tools. So, I've compiled several lists to help you find the best metronome for your needs, whether it's a basic simulation of a traditional metronome or an advanced metronome tool with customizations. Check out these apps available on Android and IOS.
Best Basic Metronome Apps
Metronome Ϟ or MetroTimer App
Price: Free
Platform: IOS only
Overview: Marketed as the most accurate timing of all available metronome apps because of their time clock regulation technology, this app offers many of the standard metronome app features. The basic option offers everything most musicians need. By paying $2.99 to upgrade to their Pro version, you get preset lists, custom time signatures, accents and subdivisions with the same basic visual and sound customizations.
Key Features: Slider, finger tap option or +/- to adjust the tempo. No preselects or advanced tempo customizations.
Visual: Basic digital interface, dark theme. Can toggle on/off the flash for tempo.
Sound: 8 different tones including a voice option.
iMetronome App
Price: Free
Platform: IOS only
Overview: An incredibly simple app, iMetronome offers the exact functionality of a traditional pendulum metronome. Nothing more, nothing less. For this reason, it is straightforward and users know what to expect.
Key Features: Slider to adjust tempo on metronome pendulum or +/-. Preselects for certain tempos. Can play in the background when screen is locked.
Visual: No customization. Displays like traditional pendulum metronome.
Sound: No customization. Traditional pendulum metronome sound.
Most Customizable Metronome Apps
Tempo App Series
Tempo Lite App
Price: Free
Platform: IOS & Android
Overview: The free or lite version of the Tempo apps, this app is simple and offers the basic functionalities of all metronome apps.
Key Features: 8 time signatures, 6 rhythm patterns. Does not offer subdivisions (see Tempo & Tempo Advance) or polyrhythms (see Tempo Advance).
Visual: 2 color themes: dark and light. Classic metronome and Italian tempo marking option.
Sound: Customizable accents and tones and mute function
Get it on iTunes & Get it on Android
Tempo App
Price: $2.99
Platform: IOS (+ Apple Watch App), Android
Overview: Featured as the “Staff Favorite” by the Apple App Store, it is the most popular of the Tempo apps. A generic metronome app with lots of tempo, rhythm, and time signature customizations. Overall, a friendly for all types of musicians and their use cases.
Key Features: With different modes, allows you to set up the interface for “Basic, Setlist, Practice and Gig” depending on your environment and use.
Visual: Color schemes and style customizations. Classic metronome and Italian tempo marking option. Theme editor allows you to customize the color theme but only on the iPhone.
Sound: Customizable accents and tones and mute function
Get it on iTunes & Get it on Android
Tempo Advance App
Price: $3.99
Platform: IOS only
Overview: Lots of customization. Many features are specifically designed for drummers. It has endless rhythm pattern, tempo, presets and time signature customizations that your generic metronome app does not offer. The “Advance” app has a more touch-friendly interface and visualization.
Key Features: Offers polyrhythm and subdivision modes. Can set the BPM to increase at a set increment of time or numbers of bars.
Visual: Rings show you BPM on an outer ring and a subdivision beat on the inner ring. Tempo adjustable with a +/- or a tap tempo or manually type the BPM.
Sound: Customizable accents and tones and mute function
Best All-Around Metronome Apps
Metronome Touch App
Price: $1.99
Platform: IOS only
Overview: A basic metronome app that is modern and sleek, Metronome Touch offers the same functionality most basic metronome apps do but in an updated display. A nice-to-look-at pendulum metronome with some advanced features for presets and multi-device use.
Key Features: Customize presets to save favorites (bpm, time signatures and accentuation). The AirSync features allows for synchronizing pendulums across multiple devices if using iPad, iPhone or iPod simultaneously. Manual entry or finger tap option to interpret BPM. Allows you to play music on your phone and metronome beat at the same time.
Visual: 4 different black & white options. Displays traditional metronome for all themes.
Sound: No customization. Basic metronome sound.
Pro Metronome App
Price: Free
Platform: IOS (+ Apple Watch App & Apple TV) & Android
Overview: Widely used and highly rated. Nearly every feature is customizable. Using Airplay on IOS devices, the app can be displayed on a project or Apple TV.
Key Features: Programmable playlists allows you to set presets for each song within a playlist. These lists can be shred to others with the app. Offers polyrhythm and subdivision modes. Plays in the background when device is in lock mode.
Visual: Modern interface, dark theme. With visual, vibrate and flash modes – the beat can project through multiple sensory options.
Sound: 13 different tones including a voice option.
Get it on iTunes & Get it on Android
Specialized Metronome Apps
The Metronome App (by Soundbrenner)
Price: Free
Platform: IOS & Android
Overview: The app is designed to sync to your wearable, vibrating metronome: the Soundbrenner Pulse, which is $99. When musicians link their device to the app, there are social interactions with other Pulse users. The device vibrates and shows color pulses of the tempo. The app apart from the device is your standard metronome app, offering customizations for time signature, subdivisions, accents, etc.
Key Features: Offers Ableton Link syncing to integrate with other music making apps. Can upload set lists and save rhythm presets.
Visual: 2 color themes: dark and light. Can toggle on/off the flash to display the beat.
Sound: Customizable accents, tones, mute and a voice option.
Get it on iTunes & Get it on Android
Pulse App
Price: Free
Platform: IOS (+ Apple Watch App) only
Overview: Incredibly minimalistic, Pulse is a touch-only or haptic interface designed for the Apple Watch small screen. It also has Bluetooth syncing for iPhone and Apple Watches to connect the devices for multi-use. With the ability to sync other users’ devices, PulseSync allows you to create “sessions” so that teachers and students or band members are all working off the same beat. Without these two specialized functionalities, this is a very basic metronome app.
Key Features: Slider wheel or finger tap option to adjust tempo. Some tempo presets available in the “settings”. Playlist option available to save tempo and BPM for songs.
Visual: Dark theme. Color wheel customization for both upbeats and downbeats.
Sound: 8 sound options
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