Keeping the beat is one of the most essential parts of music. The rhythm and the tempo are the underlying portions of what make music listenable. There are fast tempos and slow beats but each of them have their own timing that needs to be upheld. When something is off tempo, most ears will pick up that it just does not sound right. For people learning how to play music or those who have been playing for a long time, the need to keep time is essential. With the help of a metronome, you can always stay on beat. A metronome acts as a timing device that produces a steady pulse or beat for you to play with. You can set it to the pace that you need in order to make sure you keep it. We’ve highlighted five of the best out there to help those musicians create their music.
Add-ons for novice musicians
Amateur musicians of all kinds of instruments will really love the Tempi Metronome for Musicians. This looks the part of an effective metronome, as it either comes in mahogany, white, or teak accents. This will establish accurate musical timing to help you play at a proper pace. You’ll be able to develop a firm sense of rhythm and finger agility with this device. You’ll also enjoy a visual sense of timing, thanks to the swinging pendulum. There are no batteries required for this to work and you can choose between 40-208 beats per minute. The gears are made from steel for extended durability. You will receive a metronome as well as an e-book and two months of free online music lessons to enhance your abilities.
Key Features:
- Establish accurate musical timing between 40-208 bpm
- No batteries required for it to work
- Includes an e-book and two months of free online music lessons
Make charging simple
Like many of your devices, the KLIQ MicroNome is USB rechargeable. This miniature metronome is digital and can clip-on to your music stand or wherever you find it comfortable to put. It’s extremely portable, so you can toss it in your music bag or pocket to bring it to your next practice session. The tempo range is between 30-260 bpm and the beats range is between 0-9. Nine separate rhythm settings allow you to get the most out of this small device. You will get up to 16 hours of continuous use on a full charge.
Key Features:
- Extremely portable with a clip-on design
- Tempo range between 30-260 bpm and beats range between 0-9
- 16 hours of continuous use out of a full USB charge
Simple to adjust tempos
Ideal for piano, drum, violin, or guitar playing, the Ueteto Mechanical Metronome produces a loud sound while you’re playing. This produces rhythms at a proper pace for when you’re practicing. It has an audible click and bell that rings to maintain the rhythm while you’re reading sheet music. The wind-up mechanism produces the rhythm, so there’s no batteries needed. The tempo range is 40-208 bpm and the beat selection is 0, 2, 3, 4, or 6. An average single wind lasts at least 18 minutes depending on the tempo. All you need to do to adjust the tempo is take out the brake, pull off the cover, and then move the beat and tempo to your liking.
Key Features:
- Wind-up mechanism produces the rhythm
- Audible click and bell rings to maintain rhythm
- Average single wind lasts at least 18 minutes
If you get distracted by the clicking sounds
For those who are more of a visual learner, check out the Seiko SQ50-V Quartz Metronome. This is very easy to use, as you can choose two types of sounds for tempo and beat. But you can silence those and utilize a red LED light on the top to give you a clear visual tempo indication, perfect for performances. You can set the tempo and beat settings with a rotary dial that also provide the musical terms for tempos and rhythms. It ranges between 40-208 bpm.
Key Features:
- Can choose two types of sounds for tempo and beat
- Can utilize a red LED light on the top for visual tempo indication
- Rotary dial sets tempo and beat
For more than just a metronome
The Korg TM60BK Tuner Metronome has both tuner and metronome functions. You can use these simultaneously or independently and the large, backlit display is easy to read. This has extended battery life and the wide detection range of c1-c8 supports a variety of instruments. The metronome ranges between 30-252 bpm and there are three types of tempo settings and 15 rhythm variations. This also features a convenient memory backup function and it’ll shut itself off automatically.
Key Features:
- Tuner and metronome abilities
- Metronome ranges between 30-252 bpm with three tempo settings and 15 rhythm variations
- Convenient memory backup setting
