Dynamic metronome: how the tempo ramp works

A dynamic metronome changes the tempo for you while you play. In Accel Metronome you set where to start, how long to stay on each tempo and how much to add. The app then raises the tempo step by step, always on the bar line, so you never have to stop and nudge the tempo by hand.

The settings

• Start tempo: 20 to 400 BPM.
• Hold each tempo for: 1 to 64 bars, or a time from 5 seconds to 30 minutes Pro.
• Increase by: 1 to 50 BPM per step.
• Target (optional): the tempo to stop climbing at. Without a target the tempo keeps rising until you stop.
• Ramp back down (optional) Pro: after the target, the tempo steps back down to the start tempo in the same steps, as one run.

How a step works

The tempo only changes on a bar line, so every new tempo starts with a fresh bar and never cuts into a phrase. When the steps do not divide evenly into the distance to the target, the last step is shorter and the ramp lands exactly on the target.

Worked examples

All examples are in 4/4. The times are the sum of the bars at each tempo.

1. From 60 to 120 BPM, 5 BPM every 4 bars

60 → 65 → 70 → 75 → 80 → 85 → 90 → 95 → 100 → 105 → 110 → 115 → 120

Thirteen tempos of 4 bars each: 52 bars, about 2½ minutes. A good default for building speed on a groove or an exercise you already know.

2. The same ramp with “Ramp back down” Pro

60 → 65 → … → 115 → 120 → 115 → … → 65 → 60

Up to 120 and back to 60 in the same 5 BPM steps: 25 tempos, 100 bars, a little under 5 minutes. The way down lets you settle the fast tempo back into a comfortable one without stopping.

3. Uneven steps: 80 to 120 BPM in steps of 15

80 → 95 → 110 → 120

The last step is only 10 BPM, so the ramp lands on 120 exactly instead of overshooting to 125.

4. Hold each tempo for minutes, not bars Pro

60 → 65 → … → 120, 1 minute each

Thirteen tempos of one minute: about 13 minutes, a little more because each change waits for the next bar line. Use time-based steps for longer endurance sessions, when counting bars matters less than time spent at each tempo.

5. No target

60 → 65 → 70 → …

Leave the target off and the tempo keeps climbing until you stop. Useful for finding the tempo where your playing starts to fall apart.

Practice tips

1. Start at a tempo you can play cleanly, not at the edge of your ability.
2. Use small steps (2 to 5 BPM) for difficult material and larger ones for warm-ups.
3. Give each tempo enough bars to play the whole phrase or exercise at least once.
4. When the ramp gets too fast to play cleanly, stop and set the target a little lower next time.

To test your time instead of your speed, try the gap trainer. For a comparison with other apps, see Gap Click alternatives.