Guitar Metronome: Free Online Practice Tool for Guitarists

Develop rock-solid timing and build speed safely with a metronome built for guitar practice. Whether you're working on alternate picking, complex strumming patterns, or jazz chord changes, the click is your best practice partner.

Why Guitarists Need a Metronome

Guitar is often learned casually, which means many players develop timing habits that hold them back. A metronome exposes rushing, dragging, and inconsistencies that your ear might miss.

The Metronome Test

Record yourself playing a simple 4-chord progression with a metronome. Listen back. If your strums don't land exactly on the click, you have work to do. Most self-taught guitarists are shocked by this exercise.

Practice Tempos by Technique

Strumming Patterns

Pattern	Beginner BPM	Intermediate	Advanced
Simple down-strums (quarter notes)	60-80	80-120	120-180
Down-up strumming (8th notes)	50-70	70-100	100-160
Syncopated patterns	40-60	60-80	80-120
Reggae off-beat	60-80	80-100	100-140

Lead Techniques

Technique	Start BPM	Target BPM (clean)
Alternate picking (8th notes)	60	160+
Economy picking	60	140+
Legato runs	80	180+
Sweep picking (3-string)	40	120+
Tremolo picking (16th notes)	80	200+

Fingerpicking

Style	Beginner BPM	Target BPM
Travis picking	50-60	100-120
Classical arpeggios	40-60	80-120
Fingerstyle folk	60-80	100-140

Song Tempo Reference

Use these as targets when learning popular songs:

Rock & Pop

Song	Artist	BPM	Time Sig
Wonderwall	Oasis	87	4/4
Sweet Home Alabama	Lynyrd Skynyrd	98	4/4
Back in Black	AC/DC	92	4/4
Smells Like Teen Spirit	Nirvana	117	4/4
Enter Sandman	Metallica	123	4/4
Stairway to Heaven (intro)	Led Zeppelin	63	4/4
Hotel California	Eagles	75	4/4

Blues

Song	Artist	BPM	Time Sig
The Thrill Is Gone	B.B. King	88	4/4
Pride and Joy	SRV	118	4/4 (shuffle)
Red House	Jimi Hendrix	66	12/8
Crossroads	Cream	130	4/4

Acoustic/Folk

Song	Artist	BPM	Time Sig
Blackbird	Beatles	94	4/4
Dust in the Wind	Kansas	94	4/4
Tears in Heaven	Eric Clapton	80	4/4
Landslide	Fleetwood Mac	78	4/4

Guitar-Specific Practice Techniques

The Speed Building Formula

This method safely builds speed without sacrificing accuracy:

1. Find your clean tempo - the fastest BPM where every note rings clearly
2. Subtract 20 BPM - this is your practice tempo
3. Play the exercise 10 times perfectly at this tempo
4. Increase by 2-4 BPM
5. Repeat daily. Expect 5-10 BPM improvement per week

Accent Patterns for Alternate Picking

Set the metronome to 8th notes and accent every:

• 2nd note - develops consistent upstroke power
• 3rd note - builds triplet feel and odd groupings
• 4th note - standard 16th note accent

The "2-Minute Burn" Method

For building endurance:

1. Set a timer for 2 minutes
2. Play a continuous alternate picking pattern (e.g., chromatic 1-2-3-4)
3. Start at 70% of your max clean speed
4. Do NOT stop for 2 minutes - this builds muscle stamina
5. Rest 2 minutes, repeat 3 times

Chord Change Practice

Struggling with chord transitions? Use this approach:

1. Set metronome to 60 BPM
2. Strum chord 1 on beat 1
3. Change to chord 2 and strum on beat 1 of the next bar
4. You have 4 beats to make the change
5. Once clean, reduce to 2 beats (metronome at 120 BPM with change every 2 beats)
6. Target: clean changes every beat at 60 BPM

Common Guitar Timing Mistakes

1. Rushing During Solos

Excitement and adrenaline cause guitarists to speed up during lead sections. Practice solos at 80% tempo with a metronome until muscle memory takes over.

2. Dragging on Chord Changes

If your chord changes are slow, the metronome will expose the gap. Either simplify the chord (fewer fingers) or practice the change in isolation.

3. Inconsistent Strumming

Strumming should be like a pendulum - constant motion. Even when you don't strike the strings, your hand should move. The metronome trains this consistency.

4. Not Counting Rests

During breaks in a song, guitarists often jump back in early or late. Set the metronome to subdivide (8th or 16th notes) so you always know exactly where beat 1 is.

Recommended Practice Routine (30 min)

Time	Activity	Metronome Setting
0-5 min	Chromatic warm-up	80 BPM, 8th notes
5-10 min	Alternate picking exercise	70% max speed
10-15 min	Scale patterns (pentatonic)	80 BPM
15-20 min	Chord changes	60 BPM, 1 change per bar
20-25 min	Song practice	Song tempo
25-30 min	Speed push (2-min burn)	80% max speed

FAQ

What BPM should a beginner guitarist start at?

60 BPM is a universal starting point. It's slow enough to think about every movement but fast enough to feel musical. Increase only when you can play a passage 5 times perfectly.

How do I practice with a metronome for blues shuffle?

Set the metronome to 60-80 BPM. Each click is a quarter note, but you play triplets (1-trip-let, 2-trip-let). Emphasize the first and third triplet for authentic shuffle feel.

My picking hand tenses up at high speeds. Any tips?

You're gripping too hard. Practice at 50% of your tension speed with a relaxed grip. The metronome should click, but your muscles shouldn't "click" into tension. Speed comes from efficiency, not force.

Should I use a metronome for improvisation?

Yes! Improvising over a click forces you to think about phrase length and rhythmic variety. Many players discover their improvisations sound the same rhythmically when exposed to a metronome.

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Related Tools

• Online Metronome - Full metronome with time signature options
• Guitar Tuner - Tune up before practice
• Tap Tempo Tool - Find the BPM of any song
• Bass Tuner - For bass guitar players