Time is at the very core of music, and it is the very fabric that makes music. When you hear a musical note, vibrations happen at a given frequency, and time is part of that equation. Those notes can sometimes be arranged in time to create rhythm. A music writer or composer intends for the song or music to be played at a preferred tempo. Keeping time without the help of a timer or a metronome can be difficult. The metronome, therefore, becomes handy during a performance or practice to create order and beauty. Let us look at the best metronome app available for purchase online to help you in your musical journey.
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Best Metronome App
1. Pro Metronome
Pro metronome is simply the best among metronome apps because of the amazing features it has. The app will help you master stage performance and daily practice with ease and perfection. The app is simple to use by simply picking the tempo and playing. Pro metronome features a rhythm coach that will be your guide through each session. You can choose subdivisions and polyrhythms to spice up your practice and get ideas during production. You can use the subdivisions to guide your solos and create arrangements for different parts of the song you are practicing. You can achieve time signatures of your choice by simply selecting the time you want.
Precision is key when it comes to keeping the tempo. If the time signature is off by a millisecond, someone somewhere will tell the difference because something will be off. A wrong time signature will be audible when using effects like delay, which sound off when timed incorrectly. Pro metronome is accurate up to 20 microseconds for precise timing and clinical delivery. During rehearsals with others, your presence is essential. Having your earphones or headphones on when you practice with others can be off-putting, and you can come off as someone who is closed up or as someone who did not practice enough. However, you can choose how you want to experience the tempo without having to hear the beat. You can choose the vibration mode, where the phone vibrates to the beat, or a flash mode where your flashlight blinks to the beat. This feature is ideal for a drummer who needs to have IEMs while using the metronome simultaneously.
Pros
- You can save tempo presets for future use to save your time and aid your memory during practice or performance.
- You can share tempo with your bandmates.
- The app has a rhythm trainer that helps you strengthen your mind's metronome.
- Best metronome for drummers who want to experiment with polyrhythm.
- You can set auto stop for the metronome to cease playing after a certain number of bars, or you can have the tempo play through the whole song. This setting is ideal for live performances.
- You can set a warm-up mode for a gradual increase of tempo by a multiple until the desired tempo goal.
- Practice mode increases the tempo after every few bars of your choice to improve your speed.
- The app can play in the background while you use your phone.
- 13-keeping styles, including a voice count.
- You can use tap tempo to use the metronome in real-time.
- You can use the app as an audio bus input for other apps.
- You can route the app's sound directly to other apps like garage band for an integrated play and correct effects.
- Landscape mode.
- You can use Airplay to beam the sound to Airplay-enabled speakers or on the Apple Tv.
- You can use the app on an android or an iPhone.
- Free app.
Cons
- Apps take up space in the devices they have been installed.
- Apps do not function properly when storage is low in the phone or when the phone has an outdated system.
2. Metronome by Soundbrenner
Soundbrenner is one of the most used metronome apps with millions of downloads and play hours. The metronome app has a beautiful and intuitive interface that is easy to use and looks good on the phone. The metronome apps are downloaded for both Android and iOS systems. The metronome app lets you change the accent beats in the settings during practice. You can choose from over 20 sounds in the app to use as a metronome, spicing up your practice a little bit more. The app has a light and dark theme for people with different preferences. The metronome app can incorporate visual cues from the phone display to the flashlight. The app has a count-in option that mimics the practical situation where a drum will count you in.
The app is great for anyone in a band and wants to control their practice life. As a musician, setlists are very important and become part of who you are with time. The metronome app lets you prepare and save your setlists. You can save rhythms of your songs and save them as setlists within the program, and you can load them to play in the metronome anytime.
The metronome app has advanced features that make your life a musician more exciting with tools that enable you to achieve great things that will make performances better and memorable. The metronome app is controlled via a USB midi or a Bluetooth midi. This feature makes everything easier and integrates the app with already existing systems. The metronome app is compatible with the Ableton link, which is an exciting feature for live-performing musicians. The app is capable of being controlled via a Bluetooth foot-pedal. Practice sessions can never be better because of the Soundbrenner wearables like the wristwatch that delivers a pulse beat to help you keep the tempo.
Pros
- Easy to understand interface.
- The metronome app has a dark and bright theme.
- Compatible with the Ableton link.
- Controllable via Bluetooth midi and USB midi.
- Compatible with the Bluetooth foot-pedal.
- Soundbrenner embraces the digital era by introducing wearables like a wristwatch that delivers a pulse beat to keep the tempo in the preferred bpm.
- Save setlists in the app.
- Works with both the iOS and Android operating systems.
- Over 20 sounds to choose from.
- You can increase or reduce the volume at will.
Cons
- The advanced features might be a little challenging for a beginner.
3. Betotte Metronome
Dr. Betotte is a download that you can never regret. The metronome app has an intuitive interface that is easy to use and saves valuable time that would go into figuring the program out. The app can support different settings of multiple subdivisions on the time signature, taking your rehearsals to another level. You can select the beats per minute via a tap tempo to make rehearsing with a band using the metronome more practical. The metronome has a volume slider and mute buttons for each of the divisions you have chosen. The metronome app has visual effects, including a pendulum and flashlights.
The app has a half and double time function. You can adjust the metronome to have a swing feel for different genres of music. The app has a tuner whose frequencies can be adjusted to the preferred notes. The app can send midi messages from each division, making the metronome easier to integrate into other apps and programs.
The app has premium features that are purchased to improve the user experience. The features include a setting that lets you assign the note you chose to a preferred division. You can further assign sequences, polyrhythms, and tuner settings. You can achieve multi-beat time signatures and the number of bars to repeat. Dr. Betotte has the best metronome apps for rehearsals because you can choose from preset sounds or upload your sounds to each division in the metronome. You can further save all of your sounds, presets, and tempos to a setlist for future reference. The metronome app lets you create a sound set for changing metronome sounds in the middle of practice. The app has instructor functions that give you gradual up-down and quiet sound. The app has an unlimited number of saved settings and has a sync library and settings on iCloud for further settings and options. You can run the app in the background as you use your phone.
Pros
- The free app, but with in-app purchases.
- Best app for practicing your music in a band setting.
- The free version has enough settings that a musician will need for a rehearsal or set performance.
- You can save sounds, setlist, settings, and bpm for future reference.
- Best metronome apps for uploading your sounds and using them during rehearsals.
- The app features instructor functions that give you a quiet sound or a gradual up-down.
- Sync library settings on the cloud for more sounds and presets.
- The metronome app can run in the background.
- Best app for musicians who use beat subdivisions when playing.
- The subdivided interface is both independent and can have different volumes at the same time.
Cons
- The premium version has important features that have to be purchased.
- The app has some features that might be a little confusing to use in the case of a beginner.
4.Time Guru Metronome
Time Guru is the best metronome app to get you to master your instrument. The metronome apps have been made to randomly leave out notes during a rehearsal set to help you master your time and develop a natural count. The metronome app has other features like drum-machine patterns, odd meters, and more settings to groove to, and the app lets you create rhythmic drum patterns of your own for practice. You can further save presets for sounds, drums, tempo, and mute functions. The app has 35 loud sound sets, which come in handy in a loud rehearsal or performance session. Time Guru is the best metronome apps for people in different countries as they have a robot or human voice counting in different languages, including German, French, English, or Russian. The app has a tap tempo ranging from 5 to 300 bpm.
Pros
- The app has odd meters that help build your time muscle.
- The app is just under two dollars and does not have further in-app purchases.
- The metronome app is loud and suitable for use on a loud stage or studio.
- The in-app instructors can speak German, English, Russian, and French.
- 35 loud sound presets.
- The app lets you create rhythmic patterns and save them for future use.
Cons
- Time Guru is not a free app and does not have a free metronome.
5. Practice+ Tuner and Metronome
Practice plus features five different modes, including a metronome, tuner, loop modes, recorder, and setlists. These features are key to any musicians who want to put their music life touring can get hectic, and rehearsal times can become straining. The free metronome app modes work simultaneously with the metronome, which has a control bar within each mode. The tuner in the app is powerful and easy to read, ranging from A0 to C8, within which most instruments lie. The digital wonder has in-app purchases that are worth the price and can revolutionize your playing with time. The tools include custom themes, needle damping, the fine-tuning range of 392 to 490 Hz, making the app worth the cost.
Pros
- Transposing app.
- Custom themes.
- You can record using the app.
- Tuner ranging between A0 to C8.
- A fine-tuning range of 392 to 490 Hz.
- Five modes; Tuner, loop modes, setlists, recorder, and metronome.
Cons
- The app works only with the iPad.
- You can not use the app on an Android device.
- Better features are paid for to gain access.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing or Downloading Metronome Apps
a) Tempo
Tempo is probably the main reason why you are downloading a metronome app. Otherwise, the additional features that come with the metronome apps have better versions available in Digital Audio Workstations. Therefore, the tempo game needs to be very strong. A tap tempo option is ideal for a rehearsal set. The tempo range should ideally be between 5 and 350 bpm or more.
b) Time Signature
Apart from the tempo, the time signature is an important factor in music. Different genres have different time signatures, and it would be helpful if the app gave that option. Some apps have subdivided time signatures that can happen simultaneously and independently with different settings.
c) Cost
Before you download an app, check for the features in the free version and the ones in the in-app purchases. There is no need to buy features that you will not need when you could get free versions elsewhere.
d) Android or iOS
An app will either be compatible or incompatible with an operating system. Some apps work solely with either of the two systems. An iPhone has different features that are similar to Android in functionality but different in the infrastructure. For example, you can store presets in the iCloud for an iPhone, but not Android, yet both have cloud storage capabilities.
e) Other features
Look for features that give each app a competitive edge. Apps have evolved and can do interesting things like work with the musical instrument digital interface, create presets, Bluetooth, run in the background, create setlists, and more features. Look at reviews to choose the best app that will best help you achieve your practice goals.
