How fancy of a metronome do you really need? As long as it keeps steady time, it is good enough, right? That might have been true for a traditional [metronome](https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome), but today's apps offer tons of cool and advanced features that can take your [practice sessions](https://theonlinemetronome.com/blogs/3/record-practice-sessions) to the next level. I downloaded dozens of them to find the best metronome apps. 

## Metronome by Soundbrenner
The Metronome by Soundbrenner app is designed to be used with a Soundbrenner Bluetooth wearable, but the app works great as a stand-alone metronome. 

What I love: The design is nice and the metronome supports a huge range of tempos, time signatures, and subdivisions. There is also a feature that allows you to create a song playlist and set tempos/subdivision combinations for each song. I think this is designed for drummers who want to practice a complete set or have songs they frequently rehearse. I imagine this would work just as well to break up sections in a larger work.

What I dislike: The volume/pitch of the emphasis isn't loud enough and is hard to hear when practicing. There is a visual strobe when a beat is being played, but on my device, it didn't line up with the beat and was a little confusing. Adjusting the tempo with the dial is also a little cumbersome.

**Store Rating**: 4.6/5 
**Price**: Free 
**My rating**: 4/5 

## Metronome Beats
What makes the Metronome Beats by Stonekick app unique is its "tempo trainer" feature. The tempo trainer will allow you to program measures where the tempo accelerates or slows down at set intervals. This app also has the ability to turn the metronome off automatically after a certain number of measures.

What I love: There are some neat and unique features inside the app. The user interface is pretty easy to use - you can use the slider to quickly adjust tempo and tapping the colored lights allows you to change the pitch or silence beats. The metronome will display the beats-per-minute and the [tempo marking](https://theonlinemetronome.com/blogs/12/tempo-markings-defined) as you adjust tempos. 

What I dislike: First, there is a serious lack of subdivision functionality, which I think is critical for any metronome. Secondly, all the ads. Beyond the banner ads at the bottom of the screen, there are a lot of features inside the app that force you to pay or download a second app to access. With so many better

**Store Rating**: 4.6/5. 
**Price**: Free, but with ads. The pro version is ad-free.   
**My Rating**: 2/5

## Pro Metronome
Pro Metronome by EUMLab has a ton of features. Honestly, it might be a little overwhelming how much control you have. That said, they do a great job of trying to keep things organized with a clean design. 

What I love: The number of features. This app will do anything you want it to do. You can change the tone of the metronome, tap a tempo, use complicated subdivisions, load a playlist of songs to work on, and even set up programs to adjust the tempo while you're practicing. You might not need this as a beginner, but for experienced musicians, this is an amazing option. 

What I dislike: It basically forces you to upgrade to the pro version. I can understand restricting some cool features, like the tempo trainer, for a pro version, but you will need to pay to even use subdivisions. That feels like pretty basic and critical functionality, so they lose points in my book for that. 

**Store Rating**: 4/5 
**Price**: Free version, Pro is $2.99. 
**My Rating**: 3/5

## Tonal Energy
I had high hopes when downloading Tonal Energy. First, it was one of the few apps that didn't have a free version and my good friend swears by it. 

Tonal energy is much more than a metronome. There are a ton of tools to help you practice smarter, like a [tuner](https://theonlinemetronome.com/instrument-tuner), a drone, and a sound wave analyzer. The metronome is also feature-rich; You can change tempo, subdivisions, time signature, and the sound of the metronome beats.

All in all, I was not disappointed with my purchase and I think this is a great option for music students. 

What I love: All of the advanced features and the wide range of different sounds that can be used for the metronome; There are even drum machine and human voice options.

What I dislike: While it is cheap, this is not a free app. I'm a big believer in not putting valuable student tools behind a paywall, so this is a small issue for me. That said, the app does offer a ton of value. My biggest issue with this app is the design - I think things could be organized a little better and there is something about the design that just feels a little corny.

**Store Rating**: 4.6 / 5. 
**Price**: $3.99 
**My Rating**: 4.5 / 5 

## Dr. Betotte 
This is probably the most complicated and sophisticated digital metronome on the list. There are more metronome settings than you will ever use; you can customize things like polyrhythm settings and set sound samples. 

What I love: This is more metronome than you will need, no matter what your skill level. It lets you customize so much about the metronome so you can practice really complicated rhythms or songs and it saves the settings for future use. The other thing I like is the ability to build chord progressions that you can play along with the metronome. This is especially handy for learning to play in tune and in time. 

What I dislike: The best thing about the app is also the worst thing - its complexity. This is not an app for younger students. Even experienced musicians might feel that this is too complicated. It is also one of the most expensive apps on the market.  

**Store** Rating: 4.7 / 5 
**Price**: $9.99 
**My Rating**: 4 / 5

## Metronome Plus
This app used to just be a metronome but has now been bundled with several other features to help with your daily practice session, like a tuner, the ability to record, and a drone tool. These other features come at a cost, but it is a nice suite of tools for music students.

What I love: It has a very simple interface that is easy to use and you can use the tuner and the metronome at the same time - no need to open a separate app. You can also keep the app running in the background, so if you use an iPad to read sheet music, you can keep it running in the background. 

What I dislike: Like most of the apps that have a paid and free version, there are a lot of features that will prompt you to pay. While there are customization options, those do not get saved between practice sessions. 

**Store Rating**: 4.5 / 5 
**Price**: Free, but with paid upgrades   
**My Rating**: 4.5 / 5

## Tempo Advance
If you've checked out this app in the app store, you will see that it is "approved and used by Mike Mangni" the drummer of Dream Theater. I'm a fan of Dream Theater, and I know that Mike is an insanely good drummer... so this app must be good?

It is, especially if you want a metronome that supports polyrhythms. 

What I love: While several other apps on this list support time signatures like 7/8, this is the only app that had the built-in beat emphasis. For example, I could choose if I wanted 3+2+2 or 2+3+2 or 2+2+3. 

What I dislike: The free version is the most ad-heavy app on the list. It puts the ads large and in the center of the metronome, making it almost unusable.

**Store Rating**: 4.8  
**Price**: Free for the lite version, $1.49 for the Advance version  
**My Rating**: 4.5

## My Pick For The Best Metronome
For a simple metronome that is ad-free and worked on both Android and iOS devices, my favorite is the Metronome by Soundbrenner. It is simple and very easy to start using. 

If you want an awesome paid option that supports everything you'll need during a practice session, go for the Tonal Energy app. 

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These apps were ranked as the best metronome apps, but how good are they really? Which one is actually the best?

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Reviewing The Best Metronome Apps Of 2023 | The Online Metronome

The Online Metronome

Reviewing The Best Metronome Apps Of 2023

## What Are Scales
Scales are collections of the eight notes that make up a key. If you were to use just those notes, you could make melodies and harmonies that would sound good together. For you history buffs, or if you just want to rock on trivia night, then remember that the word scale comes from the Latin word "Scala," which means ladder. If you look at a scale, it looks like a ladder where each rung is a note that fits in the key signature.

There are several categories of scales: Major, minors, and modes. 

When reading scales, you'll notice that the key is set in the key signature, not by accidentals on each note.

Each key also has character traits. Some seem angry and could be used when writing pieces about war, others sad, and some joyous.

## What is a major scale?
A major scale is made up of seven unique notes (and one repeated) that span the range of an octave. The distance between notes in a major scale always follow this pattern: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. 

Each note in a major scale can also be called a "Scale degree." 
- 1st: Tonic
- 2nd: Supertonic
- 3rd: Mediant
- 4th: Subdominant
- 5th: Dominant
- 6th: Submediant
- 7th: Leading Tone
- 8th: Tonic (again)

To make that point more clear, look at the example of the C Major scale below. The first note in that scale is "C." I could call C the "Tonic." E would be the mediant and G would be the dominant. 

## The 12-Major Scales
### C Major Scale
The C-Major scale is one of the first scales we learn because it doesn't contain any sharps or flats.
![scale-degrees.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/scale_degrees_30f552ff7e_kklbrx.png)

The C-Major scale is made of the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. If you were to play this scale on the piano, it would contain only white keys.

Since there are no sharps or flats in C-Major, it is considered to have a "pure" character. It conveys a sense of innocence and simplicity. One of the most famous symphonies in C Major is Beethoven's Symphony No. 1.

### D Major Scale
The D-Major scale contains two sharps in the key signature, F-sharp and C-sharp.
![D-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/D_major_scale_754f891265_ohuqw2.png)


The D-Major scale is made up of the notes: D, E, F-sharp, G, A, B, C-sharp, and D.

The key of D is representative of triumph and victory. For this reason, many marches, religious, and holiday songs are written in D-Major. Brahms' Symphony No. 2 is in D-Major is an example of a composition using this key.

### E Major Scale
![E-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/E_major_scale_3a4642ccaa_b0dda0.png)

E-Major contains four sharps. The scale is comprised of: E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A, B, C-sharp, D-sharp, and E.

The key of E-Major is a joyous key, even sometimes described as "joyous laughter." A symphony that uses the key of E-Major is Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7.

### F Major Scale
The key of F-Major has one flat, B-flat. It is made up of: F, G, A, B-flat, C, D, E, F.
![F-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/F_major_scale_65db544e4a_qjqm5c.png)

The key of F-Major is described as complacent and calm. Antonin Dvorak's Symphony No. 5 in F-Major is written in a pastoral style, which explains why he chose this key for his composition.

### G Major Scale
The key of G-Major has just one sharp: F-sharp. It's comprised of the notes: G, A, B, C, D, E, F-sharp, G.
![G-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114708/theonlinemetronome/G_major_scale_50c2e69a35_ketq22.png)

The key of G-Major is rustic and idyllic. It evokes feelings of tenderness and friendship. Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 is a good example, as it is meant to depict a child's view of Heaven.

### A Major Scale
A-Major has three sharps (F-sharp, C-sharp, and G-sharp). The scale is made up by: A, B, C-Sharp, D, E, F-Sharp, G-Sharp, A.
![A-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114695/theonlinemetronome/A_major_scale_cd5ea06efa_ucmilp.png)

The key of A Major elicits feelings of innocent love and trust. Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 is in A-Major. Mendelssohn was inspired to compose this work by the beauty of Italy. He said "This is Italy! And now has begun what I have always thought... to be the supreme joy in life. And I am loving it."

### B Major Scale
B-Major has five sharps in the key signature. They are F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, D-sharp, and A-sharp. The scale is made up of: B, C-sharp, D-sharp, E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp, B.
![B-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114696/theonlinemetronome/B_major_scale_78d1c0e95e_r1ttgg.png)

The key of B-Major is one of wild passion. It can represent emotions of intense love, anger, jealousy, and rage. It is one of the few major keys that symbolizes negative emotions. Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 2 is written in B-Major, which was written to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was an event that was seen as triumphant but also was an armed insurrection. This highlights the conflict between love and rage.

### D-Flat Major Scale
The next two scales, D-Flat Major and C-Sharp major are enharmonic equivalents.

This means that while they look different, they will sound the same. C-sharp and D-flat are the same pitch. That said, some people have an easier time reading sharp or flats, and one of these keys might make more sense when looking at related keys or chord progressions.

![D-flat-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/D_flat_major_scale_306aa918ee_rifaqf.png)

The D-Flat Major scale has five flats: B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, and G-flat. It is a key described as being moderate but capable of expressing a range of emotions. It can be happy, but not joyous, or it can be sad, but not in agonizing pain. A symphony composed in D-Flat is Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2.

### C-Sharp Major Scale
Now that you know the D-Flat major scale, you also know the C-Sharp major scale. Go note by note through these two scales and you will see that they are the same, but expressed differently.

![c-sharp-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114698/theonlinemetronome/c_sharp_major_scale_14f451cced_hx5c82.png)

The C-Sharp major scale has seven sharps: F, C, G, D, A, E, B. So yes, every single note in this scale is sharp. Since this scale sounds, to the ear, the same as the D-Flat Major scale, it has similar musical character traits. That said, in compositions, these two keys might be approached differently, which will have a dramatic impact on the feelings they convey. Many more composers have written symphonies in C-sharp over D-flat. One famous example is Mahler's Symphony No. 5.

### E-Flat Major Scale
E-flat Major has three flats: B-flat, E-flat, and A-flat.

E-flat is the key of love and devotion and is made up of the notes: E-flat, F, G, A-flat, B-flat, C, D, and E-flat. A famous work in the key of E-flat is Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 "Eroica". This piece was originally dedicated to Napoleon, which speaks to the idea of admiration (love and devotion).

### G-Flat Major Scale
The G-Flat Major scale is another scale that is an enharmonic equivalent. G-flat can also be written as F-sharp.

![G-flat-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114708/theonlinemetronome/G_flat_major_scale_20e1ce0bbe_eszpzv.png)

G-Flat major has six flats, meaning every note in this scale is flat except for F. (G-flat, A-flat, B-flat, C-flat, D-flat, E-flat).

### F-Sharp Major Scale
Now that you know G-flat, you also know F-sharp. Go through slowly and you'll see that you use the same fingerings and the pitches are the same.

F-Sharp Major has six sharps: F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, D-sharp, A-sharp, and E-sharp.

![F-sharp-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/F_sharp_major_scale_5c90c71676_y1nbtz.png)

The F-sharp major scale is made up of the notes: F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp, B, C-sharp, D-sharp, E-sharp, and F-sharp. Its character is described as proclaiming triumph over difficulty (which is certainly true if you try to play through it). This key tells the story of a difficult struggle and ultimate triumph.

Since this is such an awkward key for many instruments to play, it is rarely used for symphonies. One of the more famous examples is Mahler's Symphony No. 10 in F-sharp. Interestingly, this was Mahler's last symphony and he was unable to complete it before his death. This work picks up right where Symphony No. 9 leaves off (starting with a theme from the previous work) and then works through difficult music filled with mixed meter and dissonance. Finally, it ends in triumph, illustrating the struggle but ultimately a successful end.

### A-Flat Major Scale
The key of A-Flat Major has four flats: B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, and D-flat.

![A-flat-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114696/theonlinemetronome/A_flat_major_scale_87a83655e9_yxuumo.png)

The A-flat major scale is made up of the notes: A-flat, B-flat, C, D-flat, E-flat, F, G, and A-flat.

This key is a somber one, often associated with death and judgment. Edward Elgar wrote his first symphony in the key of A-flat, though he believed that music shouldn't have to tell a story, rather it can exist just to exist. That said, he described the opening theme (in A-flat Major) as "simple, noble, and elevating." Perhaps it was the somber and simple nature of A-flat that prompted him to use this key.

### B-Flat Major Scale
B-flat Major has two flats in the key signature: B-flat and E-flat.

![B-flat-major-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114696/theonlinemetronome/B_flat_major_scale_1b9266b73b_irz102.png)

The B-flat Major scale is made of the notes: B-flat, C, D, E-flat, F, G, A, and B-flat. This key is described as cheerful and optimistic. A wonderful example of a work in B-flat Major is Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. It was written during World War II, which was a very hard time to be in Soviet Russia. He described the work as "a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit." This beautifully captures the optimism that this work was supposed to convey, making the key of B-flat very appropriate.

## How to Practice Scales
Scales are the building blocks of music. Learning scales will allow you to more quickly read notes within a key signature and to feel more comfortable playing these combinations of fingerings.

Here is a simple process for learning a new scale:

1. Print out two copies of the scale.
2. On one copy, write out the fingering for each note underneath the note.
3. Going very slowly, and not playing, say the note name and press the fingering for the note.
4. When you feel comfortable with the fingerings, play through the scale very slowly.
5. Repeat this process until you have done it perfectly ten times.
6. Now that you feel confident with the fingerings, close your eyes and see if you can play the scale perfectly.
You've learned the basics of the scale, now it is time to get it in rhythm! A technique I recommend is the following:

1. Number the notes of the scale, 1-8.
![scale-degrees.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/scale_degrees_30f552ff7e_kklbrx.png)

2. Now, you're going to gradually build the scale, bit by bit. Start with just playing 1 - 2 - 1.
![Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 8.33.44 PM.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/Screen_Shot_2019_04_19_at_8_33_44_PM_b4362e57b4_ps7j4h.png)

3. Once you can play it perfectly 3 times in a row, add another note.
![Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 8.34.44 PM.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/Screen_Shot_2019_04_19_at_8_34_44_PM_b126b334a8_s54soy.png)

4. Continue building the scale so in this manner. Playing the chunk until you have it right three times in a row, then add another scale degree.
![Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 8.34.44 PM.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/Screen_Shot_2019_04_19_at_8_34_44_PM_b126b334a8_s54soy.png)

5. Repeat until you have played the entire scale. If you are just starting out, this will be to the eighth scale degree. If you are learning multiple octaves, then keep going! Add a ninth, tenth, eleventh scale degree. You know what notes come next as the same eight notes repeat over and over in scales.

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The major scales are the building blocks of music, mastering them is the first step to learning to play quickly in any key.

The 12 Major Scales | The Online Metronome

The 12 Major Scales


## Things To Consider When Picking An Instrument To Learn. 
Learning to play an instrument can be incredibly rewarding, or incredibly frustrating. I've seen so many students sour their relationship with learning music simply because they picked (or were assigned) an instrument that just wasn't a good fit.  

There are five categories I would encourage any parent or student to consider before choosing an instrument. They are:  

1. How difficult is it to make a sound?
2. How well is the instrument matched for my body?
3. How expensive will it be to learn this instrument?
4. Is it easy or hard to find educational resources?
5. How badly do I want to learn this instrument?
6. How difficult is it to make a sound?  
Imagine you walk up to a piano. I point to a key and say "This is middle C, can you press the key?" You do and, ta-da, you have played a middle C.  

Now imagine that I hand you a bassoon. I tell you to cover certain holes and press certain keys. I tell you "This is middle C, can you play middle C for me?" You try to figure out how your mouth is supposed to go around the reed and then you blow... and maybe something comes out?  

Different instruments require different techniques to produce sound. Wind instruments require an embouchure and understand of how to use air. String instruments require hand dexterity and an understanding of how to bow.  

The more you need to know to produce a sound on an instrument, the more frustrating it will be to learn as a beginner.  

### Your Body
This can be a sensitive topic for some people, but your body is an important consideration when choosing an instrument.  

Pretend you want your six-year-old to learn an instrument. Which would be a better choice: the piano or a tuba?  

Both would have their challenges. Your child likely won't have the hand size to play an octave with one hand on the piano, but he/she will also have problems being tall enough to even reach the tuba's mouthpiece. They would also have problems holding the tuba and the size of the mouthpiece would be too big for their face.  

The reality is, some instruments just require adult stature to perform well. Now, there are child-sized versions of some instruments (primarily stringed instruments), which can make learning as a child easier.  

One important consideration in this category -- remember that many instruments require you to use your mouth to create sound. Braces dramatically impact your ability and the way it feels to play a wind instrument. It is not impossible, but it can be unpleasant.  

### Costs
Learning an instrument has some up-front costs. You'll need:  

- The Instrument
- Maintenance equipment
- Lessons
- Sheet music

Each of these items varies in price depending on which instrument you choose. For example, you can buy a beginner's guitar for $50. To buy a French horn you will need to spend at least $1,000 (please, do not buy one you see listed for $100).  

Some instruments are cheaper and easier to maintain. You can tune a guitar yourself, but you will need to hire a professional in order to tune your piano.  

Lessons also vary in cost depending on how many teachers there are in an area. How many piano players do you know? It will be much easier and cheaper to find a teacher. How many bass clarinet players do you know? Yea, that will be much harder and more expensive.  

When you first start playing an instrument, you aren't sure if you will like it and keep up with it. You might want to try picking a cheaper instrument that is in the family of your dream instrument (for example, pick trumpet if you want to learn French horn). This will allow you to learn some of the basics and get a feel for how much you enjoy practicing.  

### Accessibility to knowledge
We've already touched on the idea that it will be much harder to find private lesson teachers for certain instruments, and the same is true for all resources. Take a second to search "piano lessons" and "oboe lessons" on YouTube. You will find many more results for piano lessons.  

Many more people play the piano or guitar, which means there are more free resources available. If you plan on teaching yourself, you should take a second to search for things like:  

- Resources
- Lessons
- Guides
- Free music
- 
If you see a lot of options, then you can probably teach yourself many of the basics.  

### Passion

I opened this article by saying that learning to play an instrument is rewarding, but it is also frustrating. The very nature of practice is to spend time trying to figure out something you don't do well. You're going to have good days and bad days. Some techniques will come to you easier than others. You're going to enjoy playing some pieces more than others.  

To stick with the process, you need to love it. You need something that you can tap into to keep yourself motivated through hard times.  

The reason I wanted to learn to play the French horn is because there was a song played during an audiobook I enjoyed as a kid. It featured the French horn. My very first goal as a student was to learn to play that song.  

## Easiest Instruments for Beginners. 
Using the five categories we just discussed, here are my nominations for the five best instruments for beginning students. I've tried to pick one from each instrument family (keyboard, string, wind). 

1. Piano
2. Saxophone
3. Trumpet
4. Guitar
5. Violin

An important note -- these are my votes for the easiest instruments to start learning music on. These aren't necessarily the easiest instruments to master or have a professional music career on. With so many piano, violin, and guitar players out there, the competition is fierce. It can be harder to win auditions that expose you to new learning opportunities (like schools or camps) and win scholarship opportunities to afford them.

## Hardest instruments for beginners

1. Organ
2. Bassoon
3. French Horn
4. Drum set
5. Harp

In contrast to the easier-to-learn instruments, these harder instruments have less competition, which means it is actually easier to get scholarships or entrance to festivals and other learning opportunities.  

Ultimately, mastering any instruments is going to be difficult and you will have to constantly work to stay competitive. The trick to having fun is to learn to enjoy the process of practicing.  

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Questions you should answer before picking an instrument to learn.

6 Questions you should answer before picking an instrument to learn.

Picking The Right Instrument To Learn | The Online Metronome

Picking The Right Instrument To Learn

## What does BPM mean?
In music, BPM stands for beats per minute.  

Have you ever wondered how musicians know how fast a piece of music should go? What about if it is brand new?  

Maybe you have seen a conductor waving their arms or hear a musician count of a group with "1... 2... 3... 4..." If you dance, you know that you move to what feels like a pulse of the music. The pace at which all of this happens is measured in beats per minute (bpm).  

Think about the second hand of a clock ticking. There are 60 seconds in a minute, so the second hand is ticking at 60 beats per minute. If you tap your foot along with the second hand ticking you will feel that this would be a pretty slow song.  

Some popular songs that have a tempo of 60 bpm are Inside Out by Britney Spears, Culo by Pitbull, and Super Rich Kids by Frank Ocean.  

The BPM of a piece of music is also called the tempo. A piece of music's tempo can vary from extremely slow (20 bpm) to very fast (200+ bpm).  

## BPM on a Metronome
A [metronome](https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome
) is a tool musicians use to hear the tempo (or bpm) of a piece of music.  

Imagine that I want to practice a brand new piece of music that I have never heard before. At the top of the page, there should be a tempo marking. This marking could be written in beats per minute (example: Quarter note = 120 bpm) or as a tempo marking like "Allegro."  

Unless I had a strong internal sense of time, I would need to use my metronome to feel how fast or slow 120 bpm really is. Every metronome will show tempo primarily in terms of bpm. So, I would just need to set the number on my metronome to 120.  

Another important piece of information I would need to know would be which note value received the beat. Most commonly this will be the Quarter note or Eighth note. I can determine this by looking at the time signature.  

## Developing an Internal Metronome
An easy way to develop an internal metronome is to begin associating tempos with your favorite songs or pieces of music you know really well. Let's take one most people know, The Star-Spangled Banner. It's the song we hear at the start of every sporting event and it is typically performed at 104 bpm or "Andante."  

Try to hear The Star-Spangled Banner in your head right now and tap your foot along with the pulse. The quarter note gets the beat in this piece, so right now you are tapping at Quarter = 104 bpm.  

Another way to estimate a tempo without a metronome is to use a watch. We already talked about how seconds tick at 60 bpm. If you were to count the seconds as "1... and... 2... and..." with the "and" happening between the ticks, you would be counting at 120 bpm. If you were to count as "1... la... le... 2... la... le..." with the "la" and "le" syllables happening between the seconds, you would be counting at 180 bpm. You can use these as benchmarks to get into the ballpark of a tempo.  

## Popular Songs to Develop Your Sense of Time
|Song	|Artist	|BPM / Tempo|
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
|Hey Jude	|The Beatles	|74 bpm|
|Bridge Over Troubled Water	|Simon and Garfunkel	|80 bpm|
|My Generation	|The Who	|96 bpm|
|Eye Of The Tiger	|Survivor	|109 bpm|
|Respect	|Aretha Franklin	|115 bpm|
|Buddy Holly	|Weezer	|121 bpm|
|Party Rock Anthem	|LMFAO	|130 bpm|
|Hotel California	|The Eagles	|147 bpm|
|Hound Dog	|Elvis	|175 bpm|
|Tutti-Frutti	|Little Richard	|185 bpm|
  
If you can think of these songs, then you can recall any of these tempos whenever you need them!

## BPM Tool
Still struggling to figure out the tempo of a song? Check out our [BPM tool](https://theonlinemetronome.com/bpm-tool) - it's an easy way to tap along with a song and figure out the tempo. 



thumbnail_what-does-bpm-mean.png

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Tempo markings can be written as a word, or as a number (BPM). What does that number actually mean?

What Does BPM Mean In Music? | The Online Metronome

What Does BPM Mean In Music?

## What Are Transposing Instruments?
If you play a C on the piano, then you hear a C. Simple, right? The piano is what is known as a non-transposing instrument or in the Key of C. The note you see on the music is the pitch that is sounded.  

A transposing instrument is one that sounds a different pitch than the note written.  

For some instruments, the note they see in the music isn't the note that is heard. For example, if I was playing my French horn and saw a "C" in the music, the pitch that would come out of the instrument would be an "F."  

When I was a young musician, I was told this saying. "When an instrument plays a C, it says its key."   

You can see that in with the French horn. French horns are often called "F Horns" because they are pitched in F. The notes they see and play on sheet music are a perfect fifth higher than what is heard when played. Said another way, music for the French horn sounds a perfect fifth lower than what is notated.  

## Why Do Instruments Transpose?
There are four major reasons an instrument might be transposing:  

<ol>
<li>Instruments transpose to make it easier for musicians to switch between members in the instrument family.</li>

<li>It is a result of the evolution of the instrument. The French horn is a good example of this; the hornist would see which key a piece was in and then add lengths of pipe (crooks) to change the key. Once valves were invented, the hornist needed to transpose the pieces to F.</li>

<li>The instrument sounds in an octave that would be silly to write for (too many ledger lines) or would require the use of a clef that the musician might not typically read.</li>

<li>To make fingering patterns easier/consistent across instrument variants. Think about the easiest scale you could play on a recorder. It would start with all your fingers down and then you'd gradually lift one up to progress up the scale. If we said this was the "C" scale, then when you played that same fingering pattern on a slightly bigger recorder, with a lower fundamental/overtone series, it wouldn't sound the same. The first note might sound like a B-flat. We would say this recorder is in the Key of B-flat.</li>
</ol>

Imagine that I don't want to play French horn anymore. Instead, I want to switch to trumpet because the embouchures are similar. The trumpet is pitched in B-flat and the French horn is pitched in F. Will I have to learn all new fingerings?  

No. For both instruments, a C is open, a B is second valve, a B-flat is first valve, etc.  

Transposition helps musicians that need to switch instruments learn one set of fingerings and then be able to pick up instruments in the same family easily. My example of French horn to trumpet isn't common, but consider how often this is the case for woodwind instruments; a flute player might need to play piccolo or a saxophone, or a clarinet player needs to play a related family member.   

This helps in a number of ways. First, the fingering example we talked about, but also in helping to write music in keys that are just easier to perform.  

## Transposing Quick Guide. 
If you just need an easy-to-use guide to help figure out transposing from your instrument to concert pitch, then use this table. It will show you the relationship between notes written in your key and concert pitch.  

![music-transposition-chart.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114725/theonlinemetronome/music_transposition_chart_e0b6788c76_mf3s5h.png)

## Tips For Transposing Music. 
French horn players have to transpose a lot. It comes from the instrument's history, dating back to when players needed to use crooks in order to lengthen the instrument enough to put it in a different key.  

This meant I needed to learn to transpose when I started playing in an orchestra. At first, I would write out all the notes I needed to transpose to. This made for really messy music and it took a long time to do. Then, when I turned the music back into the librarian, I had to erase all the ghost notes I had written in.  

When I started college, I memorized the interval I needed to transpose to. For example, if a piece was in E-flat, then I would read everything down a whole step. I would just imagine every note being on the space or the line below the note that was written. This was easy for closely related keys but was challenging when transposing to keys like B-flat or C. Or when transposing music with complicated key signatures.  

Then one day it hit me, I can just play the corresponding scale degree in the related key. Assign every note in a scale a number. Using the C-major scale as an example, C would be 1, D would be 2, E would be 3, and so on. Instead of reading the notes, I am reading scales degrees in the key I am playing. If I have to transpose, I just change the key signature in my head and play those same scale degrees.  

## List Of Common Transposing Instruments. 
This table shows some of the more common instruments that will need to transpose their music to "Concert pitch." You'll notice that most of them are in the key of B-flat, E-flat, or F. To transpose from this instrument to concert pitch, following the instructions in the "Transposition" column. For example, if I playing a C on a B-flat trumpet and my band director asks "What concert pitch am I playing," then I would need to move my "C" down a whole step (major second) and say that I am playing a B-flat concert pitch. If you are looking to transpose from concert pitch to these instruments, just reverse the instructions. For example, instead of going down a major second when transposing from B-flat to C, just go up a major second and now you have a part written for B-flat instruments.  

| Instrument | Instrument Key | Transposition from C |
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
| E-flat Clarinet | E-flat | Down a major sixth |
| B-flat Clarinet | B-flat	| Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| Bass Clarinet | B-flat | Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| B-flat Euphonium | B-flat | Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| Alto Flute | G | Down a major fourth |
| French Horn	 | F | Down a major fifth |
| Mellophone | F | Down a major fifth |
| English Horn | F | Down a major fifth |
| Soprano Saxophone | B-flat | Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| Alto Saxophone |  E-flat | Down a major sixth |
| Tenor Saxophone | B-flat | Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| Baritone Saxophone |  E-flat | Down a major sixth |
| Piccolo Trumpet | B-flat or A | Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| E-flat Trumpet |  E-flat | Down a major sixth |
| B-flat Trumpet | B-flat	| Down a major second (Wholestep) |
| E-flat Tuba | E-flat | Down a major sixth |
| B-flat Tuba | B-flat | Down a major second (Wholestep) |

## How To Use A Tuner With Transposing Instruments. 
Instrument tuners will always show concert pitch. This means, if you play a transposing instrument, then the note you are playing will not be the note name the tuner shows. For example, if I play a C on my French horn, the tuner will show me playing an F. In order to use a tuner, I need to know how to transpose from the key my instrument is into concert pitch.  

The table above will help you know how to figure out the concert pitch of any note you are playing. Let's use the French Horn as an example; To find the "Concert pitch" of any note I play on the french horn, I need to go down a major fifth. Why a major fifth? Because F is a major fifth lower than C. Now, let's say I am playing an E on my french horn. What is this in concert pitch? If I take the rule of down a major fifth, then I know that E on french horn is an A concert. When I work with a chromatic tuner, I should always see the concert pitch, so I will need to make sure I am playing a note that is a major fifth above what is being shown. For B-flat instruments, they should be playing a major second above what is being shown and for E-flat instruments, they should be playing a major sixth above what is being shown.  

Chart showing how to transpose from instruments in b-flat, e-flat, and f to concert pitch.

small_music-transposition-chart.png

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Wonder which instruments transpose or what "transposing" in music means?

Wonder which instruments transpose or what transposing in music means?

Guide To Transposing Instruments | The Online Metronome

Transposing Instruments

## What Are Scales
Scales are collections of the eight notes that make up a key. If you were to use just those notes, you could make melodies and harmonies that would sound good together. For you history buffs, or if you just want to rock on trivia night, then remember that the word scale comes from the Latin word "Scala," which means ladder. If you look at a scale, it looks like a ladder where each rung is a note that fits in the key signature.

When reading scales, you'll notice that the key is set in the key signature, not by accidentals on each note.

Each key also has character traits. Some seem angry and could be used when writing pieces about war, others sad, and some joyous.

## Major Scales
Every key signature can be called by two different names: A Major and a minor key. What makes a scale a Major scale is the intervals between notes. The first note of the scale is always the same as the note the key signature is named after. As an example, the F major scale will always begin on the note F.

Let us look at a sample scale. If we look at the key signature, we see that there are no sharps and no flats. Looking at our table we know that this must be the C-Major scale. It begins on C.

![major-scale-intervals.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114717/theonlinemetronome/major_scale_intervals_7534c1c1d6_pzc7hg.png)

The distance between notes is called intervals. Major scales are sound the way they do because of the pattern of intervals. Major scales are made up of whole steps (or Major seconds) and half steps (minor seconds). A Major scale has all whole steps and two half steps; one between the 3rd and 4th note and one between the 7th and 8th note (when discussing scales, it is more common to say "degree" instead of "note"). I have written the interval between each step of the major scale. They will always follow this pattern no matter what key they are in. There are twelve Major scales, one for each key. Some of you might go back to the chart and see that there are 13 different keys, so why are there only 12 Major scales? Remember that notes can sound the same but be written in different ways; a B-flat is the same as an A-sharp. The scale with six flats (G-flat Major) and the scale with six sharps (F-sharp Major) are the same scale!

## Minor Scales
Like Major scales, minor scales sound the way they do because of the intervals between scale degrees. However, unlike Major scales, there are three different minor scales for each key signature. Each with slightly different intervals. Let us continue with our examples of having no sharp or flats in the key. This time, instead of C-Major, our key signature is a-minor.

### Natural minor scale

![natural-minor-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114725/theonlinemetronome/natural_minor_scale_5ead442d32_hwyofs.png)

Just like with Major scales, we see that the minor scale starts on the note named in the key signature. A-minor begins on A. If you were to play through this scale, it would sound distinctly different from the Major scale, and that is because the intervals between each note are different. In the natural minor scale, the half steps occur between the second and third degree and the fifth and sixth degree.

### Harmonic Minor scale
![harmonic-minor-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114709/theonlinemetronome/harmonic_minor_scale_777f300dee_azmgmr.png)

The harmonic minor scale begins the same, but you will see that there is an accidental in this scale; there is a sharp sign on the seventh degree. Raising the seventh degree by a half step changes the intervals between it and its neighbors. There are now three half steps. One between the second and third degree, the fifth and sixth degree, and the seventh and eighth degree.

### Melodic Minor scale
![melodic-minor-scale.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114723/theonlinemetronome/melodic_minor_scale_8dc61f19b9_x3ypot.png)

In the melodic minor scale, the 6th and 7th scale degrees are both raised a half step. Like we saw with the harmonic minor, this changes the intervals. There are half steps between the second and third degree, and the seventh and eighth scale degree. The melodic minor scale has something else that makes it different; these changes only apply on the way up the scale. When you descend, you play the natural minor scale.

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What are the differences between Major and minor scales? What are the different types of minor scales? Everything you need to know.

Major vs Minor Scales | The Online Metronome

Major vs Minor Scales

## What Are Time Signatures
One of the first things you will see when looking at a piece of music is the time signature. A time signature tells you two important things:

1. How many beats are in a measure
2. What note value gets the beat
Time signatures will look like two numbers on top of each other, similar to a fraction.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114754/theonlinemetronome/time_signature_fc6021eb6b_eqm5da.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

## Reading Time Signatures
The top number tells you how many beats are in the measure. The bottom number tells you what note value will get the beat. You might be wondering, how do I know what note value is a 4? Try answering this: It would take 4 _______ to equal a whole note. If you said, "quarter notes" you are right! So, seeing a 4 means the quarter note will get the beat.

You can always determine which note will get the beat by figuring out the note value would take that many of to equal a whole note.

Looking at the example above, we know that the quarter note will get the beat (4) and there will be three (3) beats per measure. Here is an example of music in 3/4 time. You can see the count of the beats under the measures.

![Two measures of music in three-four time signature with the beat counts written under the measures.](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114729/theonlinemetronome/sheet_music_with_time_signature_5addd58589_o3ktz9.png)

You know how to figure out which note value gets the beat, but to make things easier, here is a time signature cheat sheet. If the bottom number is a:
**1** - The whole note gets the beat
**2** - Half notes get the beat
**4** - Quarter notes get the beat
**8** - Eighth notes get the beat
**16** - Sixteenth notes get the beat
See if you can say which note receives the beat and how many beats are in a measure for these examples:

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114695/theonlinemetronome/44_time_signature_65bdc51689_gbehdg.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

this is the four-four time signature, there are four beats per measure and the quarter note gets the beat.
The quarter note (4) gets the beat and there are 4 beats per measure. This is the most common time signature most beginning musicians see, It's also what most popular music is written in. Since it is so common, it's nicknamed "common time," and can be written as the letter "C" instead of "4/4."

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114695/theonlinemetronome/22_time_signature_62176cb619_lqhn3p.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

In 2/2 time, the half note gets the beat (2) and there are 2 beats per measure. This is sometimes known as "cut time," since it is exactly half of common time (or 4/4). You will sometimes see this written as a C with a line through it (like the cent symbol in American currency).

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114695/theonlinemetronome/68_time_signature_bd1e297995_f3nyto.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

In 6/8 time, the eighth note gets the beat (8) and there are 6 beats per measure. This common time signature can be "in 6" or "in 2." When it is counted in six, it means you could every eighth note (1-2-3-4-5-6). When it is "in 2," you will only be counting beats 1 and 4. (1-2-3-4-5-6). When the music is a quick tempo, you will usually default to the "in 2," style of counting 6/8.

##Simple Meter
In music, the word meter is used to describe the pattern of beats. The time signature tells the musician the pattern of the beats, so "time signature" and "meter" are related. Time signatures tell you what the meter is. To understand the differences between simple and compound meter, you should first understand how notes can be divided into two parts or (if they are dotted rhythms) divided into three parts.

The term **simple meter** is used to describe meters where the beat can be divided into two equal parts. This would include meters like 2/4 and 4/4.

You can have simple meter where there are two groups to the measure (like in 2/4, where there are three groups to the measure (like 3/8), or where they are grouped into four (like in 4/4).

- When there are two groups in simple meter, it is called simple duple. The top number in the time signature will be a 2. (Example: 2/4)
- When there are three groups in simple meter, it is called simple triple. The top number in the time signature will be a 3. (Example: 3/8)
- When there are four groups in simple meter, it is called simple quadruple. The top number in the time signature will be a 4. (Example: 4/4)

## Compound Meter
Compound meter is used to describe meter where beats can be divided by three (which means the beat will typically be assigned to a dotted value or a grouping of three). The most common example is 6/8. In 6/8 time, you have two groups of three eighth notes. Since it is a group of three, it is compound meter.

Just like with simple meter, you can have compound duple, compound triple, and compound quadruple.

- Compound duple has two beats that are divisible by three. The top number in the time signature will be a 6. (Example: 6/8)
- Compound triple had three beats that are divisible by three. The top number in the time signature will be a 9. (Example: 9/8)
- Compound quadruple has four beats that are divisible by three. The top number in the time signature will be a 12. (Example: 12/8)

## Common Time
The most common time signature is 4/4, so the phrase "common time" refers to this time signature.

## Cut Time
You can feel meter in different groupings -- either small or large. If you were to feel the beat of every quarter note in 4/4 time, that would be common time. Now, if you were to feel the first and third quarter note in the measure (feeling two stronger beats per measure) you would be feeling it "in two." Feeling the beat this way turns 4/4 into 2/2 (two beats per measure, the half note getting the beat). You basically "cut" the 4/4 in half. This is cut time.

## Mixed Meter
Sometimes a piece of music will have just one time signature (so just one meter) for the entire song. That's true for most pop music and marches. However, sometimes music can change time signatures throughout the work. For example, it might start in 4/4, then switch to 6/8, then to 3/4, and then back to 4/4. When a piece of music changes time signatures, it is referred to as a "mixed meter."

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Part of our music theory series: Learn what time signatures mean in music.

How To Read Time Signatures | The Online Metronome

How To Read Time Signatures

## What is rhythm?
Music is made up of two things: pitches and rhythms. Rhythm lets musicians know when a note should be played and how long it should be played for. The rhythmic value of a note is shown by the shape and parts of a note.

## The parts of a note.
There are three main parts to a note, each of which will tell you something about the duration of the note.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114726/theonlinemetronome/parts_of_a_note_68963bc306_xtrixr.png" style="height: 50%">

- (3) The notehead
- (2) The note stem
- (1) The note flag
- Bars are similar to flags in how they change a note's value, but they are used to connect two notes. You can mix and connect any notes that would have a flag (eighth, sixteen, or thirty-second notes) with bars.

Now, a note doesn't have to have all three things. It might have just a head, or a head and a stem, but each of these elements changes the note value. All notes get their name from the relationship they have to the whole note. For example, four quarters make a whole, and there are four quarter notes in a whole note.

## Note Values
### Whole Notes
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114757/theonlinemetronome/whole_note_572aef9cdb_wbemnc.png" style="height:50%">

A whole note gets 4 beats. It has an empty (white) note head but no stem or flag.

### Half Notes
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114708/theonlinemetronome/half_note_351f70c18e_fiihyb.png" style="height:50%">

A half note gets 2 beats. That should be easy to remember as it is half the value of a whole note. It has an empty (white) note head and a stem. It does not have a flag.

### Quarter Notes
![quarter-note.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114726/theonlinemetronome/quarter_note_291edb61a0_eue3d2.png)

A quarter note gets 1 beat. It has a filled-in (black) note head and a stem, but no flag.

### Eighth Notes
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/eighth_note_double_279298d25a_hmqcr7.png" style="height:50%">

An eighth note gets half of a beat. It has a filled-in note head, a stem, and a single flag. When you connect multiple eighth notes with a single bar.

### Triplets
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114755/theonlinemetronome/triplet_42eb89b818_z0gk6j.png" style="height:50%">

A triplet receives one-third of a beat and they usually appear in threes. They can have a flag or be connected with a bar, but will have the 3 above their grouping to differentiate them from eighth notes.

### Sixteenth Notes
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114729/theonlinemetronome/sixteenth_note_four_e53b1204ef_xsnjrd.png" style="height:50%">

A sixteenth note gets one-fourth of a beat, which means four sixteenth notes will make up one beat. They have a filled-in note head, a stem, and two flags. When they are connected to other notes, the two flags are replaced with two bars.

## Rhythmic Tree
Remember, all note values get their name from their relation to the whole note. A half note is half of a whole note. A quarter note is a quarter of a whole note. Just as four quarters make a whole dollar, four quarter notes make a whole note. This tree shows these relationships and how many of each smaller rhythmic value fits into the larger value. This is what musicians call subdivision.

![note-tree.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114726/theonlinemetronome/note_tree_d3c336df29_dpvdkk.jpg)

## Rests
Music also has a way to notate how long silences should last. Maybe the composer just wants space, or perhaps a different instrument is playing and should be the focus. Silence is notated with what is called a rest. Just like note values, there are different types of rests to show different durations. Rests share their names and lengths with their note counterparts. For example, just like a whole note receives four beats, a whole rest will receive four beats of silence.

### Whole Rest
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114757/theonlinemetronome/whole_rest_5975c35829_f8np0o.png" style="height: 50%">

A whole rest receives four beats of silence and looks like an upside-down top hat. It will always hang from the staff line. Whole notes and half notes look very similar, so an easy way to tell the difference between the two is that whole notes "hold on" to the staff to save them from falling off.

### Half Rest
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114709/theonlinemetronome/half_rest_784ebc5768_poprsh.png" style="height:50%">

A half rest receives two beats of silence. It looks like a top hat and always sits on the staff line.

### Quarter Rest
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114726/theonlinemetronome/quarter_rest_4357a944c7_ejaymp.png" style="height:30%">

A quarter rest gets one beat of silence. It looks somewhat like the letter "Z" stacked on top of the letter "C".

### Eighth Rests
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/eighth_rest_c4b2a1d201_qibqvq.png" style="height: 30%">

An eighth rest gets one half of a beat of rest. Unlike eighth notes, you will never see eighth rests connected. The reason is slightly obvious, two eighth rests are equal to a quarter rest, so you would just write a quarter rest.

### Sixteenth Rests
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114729/theonlinemetronome/sixteenth_rest_dc1816c7cb_pvckls.png" style="height:25%">
The sixteenth rest looks like the eighth rest except it as another flag and receives a quarter of a beat of silence.

### Multiple Measures of Rest
![multiple-measure-rest.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114725/theonlinemetronome/multiple_measure_rest_f1e224e06b_hhftf1.png)

Sometimes in music, you will need to rest for multiple measures at a time. Composers will write the number of measures you should rest above the staff. Typically, rests will only be written like this if there are more than four measures of rest.

## Dotted Rhythms
A dot after any note extends the duration of the note by half of its value. For example, a whole note gets four beats. Adding a dot to the whole note will add another two beats (half of the whole note's value), meaning a dotted whole note gets a total of six beats (4 beats + 2 beats).

![dotted-rhythm-instructions.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/dotted_rhythm_instructions_a3707d1957_bkeds5.png)

Here is that same idea applied to half, quarter, and eighth notes.

![dotted-rhythms-get-half.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/dotted_rhythms_get_half_b6e1568060_w4xaud.png)

Another way to understand the value of a dotted rhythm is to think about the subdivisions. Ask yourself, What is the subdivision of this note? For example, a half note can be subdivided into quarter notes. A dotted rhythm is equal to three of its subdivisions. So, a dotted half note is equal to three quarter notes.

![dotted-rhythms-get-three.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/dotted_rhythms_get_three_0876ea80d6_gkvcpx.png)

Occasionally, you will see double dotted or, even more rarely, triple dotted notes. A double dotted rhythm adds another quarter of the value to the end. Sticking with our whole note example:

- A whole note gets four beats.
- A dotted whole note gets six beats (a whole note + half its value).
- A double dotted whole note gets seven beats (a whole note + half its value + a quarter of its value).
## Ties
A tie is a curved line that joins two notes together. They can connect values of any duration and can even extend over bar lines. However, a tie can only connect notes of the same pitch. If the pitches are different, then it is called a slur, meaning there should be no articulation between the notes.

![tied-whole-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114754/theonlinemetronome/tied_whole_notes_bb0eea47ef_tl6dft.png)

## How to Count Rhythms
Before you read this section, I highly recommend that you understand how time signatures work. You have to know how many beats are in a measure and what note value received the beat. To learn, we will use the 4 4 time signature, which means that there are four beats in a measure and the quarter note gets the beat. When you count rhythms, you are essentially counting the beats.

![counting-quarter-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114705/theonlinemetronome/counting_quarter_notes_255580bba1_fsarv6.png)


Notice how each beat is getting a number and since a quarter note gets just one beat, we count every quarter note. Of course, that only works for quarter notes. How would we count a half note? Or a whole note?

![counting-half-and-whole-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114704/theonlinemetronome/counting_half_and_whole_notes_2cb5a667d1_tqunsm.png)

A half note takes two beats, so we would only count the beat where the start of the note happens. When we count notes that last for less than a beat, we have to add new syllables.

![how-to-count-eighth-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114710/theonlinemetronome/how_to_count_eighth_notes_a85f1f9924_olvpdm.png)

The downbeat will get the number and the upbeat will always be and. To feel what an eighth note feels like, try saying the words "soda" in one beat.

![how-to-count-triplets.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114710/theonlinemetronome/how_to_count_triplets_4896129ab0_dnm48p.png)

With triplets, we say the number on the downbeat and the "la" for the second triplet of the group and "le" for the third triplet for the group. You can feel triplets by saying the word "Strawberry" in the space of one beat.

![how-to-count-sixteenth-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114710/theonlinemetronome/how_to_count_sixteenth_notes_e3eabad435_q19yjl.png)

Sixteenth notes are counted with the downbeat getting the number, the upbeat getting the and (just like with eighth notes), and the second sixteenth getting an "e" and the fourth an "uh." You can feel sixteenth notes by saying "Ravioli" in the space of one beat.

Now that you know how these rhythms are counted, you can look at they fit into a measure.

![counting-eighth-notes.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114704/theonlinemetronome/counting_eighth_notes_63507c5684_uldhj4.png)


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Ever wonder how rhythms are written in music? This post will teach you to read the most common basic musical rhythms.

How To Read Rhytms In Music | The Online Metronome

How to Read Rhythms

## What Are Clefs?
Your average piano has 88 keys spanning 7 (and a bit) octaves. Now, imagine a music staff... you have five ledger lines and four spaces. How can you show all 88 notes without having to add dozens of ledger lines?

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114716/theonlinemetronome/low_notes_in_treble_clef_e1ddb50037_ayp1gv.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

Or imagine you play Tuba and every note you played was 12 ledger lines below the staff. This would make music incredibly difficult to read, so instead we use clefs.

**Clefs** change the note names for the lines and spaces of the musical staff. Let's look at how we can write middle C (C4) with either Treble Clef or Bass Clef.

![Middle C written in Treble Clef](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114755/theonlinemetronome/treble_clef_middle_c_d29a5cbb12_kefzpj.png)

Here is middle C written in treble clef. It is just one ledger line below the staff.

![Middle C written in bass clef.](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114697/theonlinemetronome/bass_clef_middle_c_0cb59a7b5b_roya53.png)

And here is the exact same note (middle C) written in bass clef. Notice how it is written just one ledger line above the staff.

If you were a tuba player trying to read notes below middle C, which would you prefer to read: treble clef or bass clef?

## The Treble Clef
The treble clef is one of the most common clefs in music. It's also known as the G Clef.

This will make more sense once you read the next section that shows you the note names in Treble Clef, but for now, you can know that the Treble Clef is also called the G clef because each of the curls wraps around where the note "G" lives.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114708/theonlinemetronome/g_clef_52f86773fa_znvorf.png" style="width:30%; margin:auto;">

In the picture above, I've written two whole notes, both of which are G's. Notice that one is on the line right in the center of the treble clef's curl, and the other one is in the space of the loop at the top of the treble clef. Hence, we have a G-clef. When you draw a treble clef, it is important the loops match where the G's are on the staff.

##Notes in Treble Clef
Clefs determine which notes the ledger lines/spaces represent. Let's look at the note names of the lines first.

![The line names of a musical staff when it is written in treble clef. ](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114754/theonlinemetronome/treble_clef_ledger_lines_8aeb622e5f_qu3ofj.png)

The notes on the staff lines in treble clef are E - G - B - D - F. One of the first ways I learned to remember the order of notes is with the phrase "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge."

![Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge is an easy way to remember the ledger line note names in treble clef.](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114727/theonlinemetronome/remember_notes_in_treble_clef_532e846eb7_pa2i94.png)

The spaces also represent notes. They are F - A - C - E (going from the bottom space upwards). An easy way to remember these note names is with the rhyme "If it's in the space, then it spells face."

![The space names of a music staff when written in treble clef.](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114755/theonlinemetronome/treble_clef_space_notes_d31c6c5808_cpnuua.png)

## Instruments That Read Treble Clef
Some instruments read primarily read treble clef, others mainly read bass clef, and some (like the piano) read both. Here is a list of instruments that typically read treble clef.

- Flute
- Clarinet
- Oboe
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- French Horn
- Violin
- The right-hand piano part

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Learn how to read music written in treble clef in under 5 minutes in this easy introduction to music theory. 

How To Read Music Written In Treble Clef | The Online Metronome

How To Read Music Written In Treble Clef

## What is a Key Signature
A key signature is a collection of accidentals (sharp and flat symbols) that let you know what key a piece of music is in. These accidentals apply throughout the entirety of the piece unless otherwise noted either by a new key signature (called a key change) or with new accidentals attached to a note (one-off flat, sharp, or natural signs.)

### A flat sign looks like this:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/flat_sign_music_ecee412997_xcpkqj.png" style="width:40%">

When you see it, you lower the pitch by a half step.

### A sharp sign looks like this:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/sharp_symbol_in_music_09e7169e4a_q57yha.png" style="width:40%">

This symbol means you raise the pitch by a half step.

### A natural sign looks like this:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114726/theonlinemetronome/natural_sign_17617680dc_ghjnsn.png" style="width:40%">

It means that you play the pitch without modification.

A key signature will only contain one kind of accidentals, either sharps or flats, but never both. You will find it right next to the clef symbol at the beginning of the staff. Accidentals in the key signature always live on the staff line of the note they affect. Look below and you will see a sharp symbol on the F staff line and the C staff line. That means this key signature has two sharps: F-sharp and C-sharp.

![example-of-key-signature.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114706/theonlinemetronome/example_of_key_signature_9cee2d5580_vi1ngl.png)

Accidentals in the key signature are always written in the same order. Flats are written in this order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F Sharps are written in this order: F, C, G, D, A, E, B

## All the Key Signatures
Below is a table that will let you know how many accidentals (sharps or flats) each key signature has. We show names in both the Major key and minor key. You will notice, when you write Major keys, you write the letter as a capital letter. Minor keys are always written in lower case.

| Number of Accidentals | Major Key | minor key |
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
|No sharps or flats	|C Major	|a minor|
|One flat	|F Major	|d minor|
|Two flats	|B-Flat Major	|g minor|
|Three flats	|E-Flat Major	|c minor|
|Four flats	|A-Flat Major	|f minor|
|Five flats	|D-flat Major	|b-flat minor|
|Six flats	|G-Flat Major	|e-flat minor|
|One sharp	|G Major	|e minor|
|Two sharps	|D Major	|b minor|
|Three sharps	|A Major	|f-sharp minor|
|Four sharps	|E Major	|c-sharp minor|
|Five sharps	|B Major	|g-sharp minor|
|Six sharps	|F-Sharp Major	|d-sharp minor|

Here is what key signatures with sharps look like across different clefs.

![sharp-key-signatures-in-different-clefs.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114728/theonlinemetronome/sharp_key_signatures_in_different_clefs_7c4df48ba2_sfrqrw.png)

And here is what key signatures with flats look like across different clefs.

![flats-key-signatures-in-different-clefs.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114707/theonlinemetronome/flats_key_signatures_in_different_clefs_3108c5b620_ljjovx.png)


## Enharmonic Equivalents
You might recall that sharp accidentals raise a note by a half step and flat accidentals lower the pitch by a half step. This means that some notes will sound the same but can be written in different ways. For example, B-flat could also be written as A-sharp. They will sound the same pitch. This can become complicated when notes are already a half step apart (E&F or B&C). Just imagine a piano keyboard. Keys that neighbor each other are a half step apart. The B key and the C key touch. The B-flat key (black) and the C key (white) have a note in between. This means they are a whole step apart. So, a B-sharp is not a C-flat, it is just a C.

If you would like to practice a piece of music in a given key, then we recommend checking out our piano keyboard tool. Just press the piano key that corresponds with your key signature.

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Part of our music theory series: Learn what key signatures mean in music.

How to Read Key Signatures | The Online Metronome

How to Read Key Signatures

## Practicing with a Metronome
When you practice with a <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome" title="A free online metronome.">metronome</a>, you build a stronger internal beat (sense of time). A strong sense of time will allow you to perform better with others and perform rhythms more accurately. Here are some steps to follow when practicing with a metronome.

## How To Use A Metronome To Practice
1. Isolate the problem measures (no more than 20 measures at a time).
2. Find the tempo where you can play these measures perfectly. This might be much slower than performance speed and that is okay!
3. Once you have played through your practice passage 3 times perfectly, then increase the tempo by 4 bpm (beats per minute).
4. Repeat step three, gradually increasing the tempo. If you make a mistake, slow the tempo back down by 2 bpm.
5. Once you have reached the performance tempo, turn the metronome off.
6. Play through the passage without the metronome.
7. Turn the metronome back on. Did you manage to maintain the tempo?
Always write down the tempo you end a practice session in your <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/practice-journal" title="Free downloadable music practice journals.">practice journal</a> or on the piece of music (in pencil). Doing this will let you know what tempo to start with on your next [practice session](https://theonlinemetronome.com/blogs/3/record-practice-sessions). Remember the "3 times perfectly" rule. You might feel a rush to speed up your tempo, but this will only cause you to practice mistakes.

## Using Subdivisions During Practice
All good metronomes (link to best metronome blog) will allow you to turn on subdivisions (eighth notes, triplets, and sixteenth notes). A subdivision is a smaller part of the beat. For example, eighth notes are a subdivision of a quarter note. A good rule of thumb is to set your metronome beat to the smallest subdivision in the section you're practicing. If the passage has sixteenth notes, turn on your metronome's sixteenth-note subdivision.

This would also be true if the section has dotted eighth-sixteenth note rhythms. You might want to use subdivisions when the tempo is very slow. It can be hard to stay with the metronome when the beats are far apart. Using subdivisions allows you to feel the space between the beats, making it easier to stay in time.

## Turn The Metronome Off
Unfortunately, you won't be able to perform with a metronome, so it is important to learn to play in tempo without it. After you have practiced with the use of the metronome at your goal tempo, it is time to practice relying on your own internal beat. Here are some steps to help you not wean off the metronome.

1. Turn on the metronome to your tempo.
2. Listen to the beat until you feel like it is in your head.
3. Turn off the metronome.
4. Count the tempo in your head.
5. Play through the passage you're practicing.
6. When you are done, keep the tempo in your head.
7. Turn on the metronome. Was your internal tempo faster or slower than the metronome?
8. Repeat this process but make adjustments. If your internal time is slow, try playing a little faster.
Doing this regularly will help you become less reliant on the metronome.

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Practicing with a metronome can help, but it can also hurt your playing. Here's how to practice with a metronome the right way.

How To Practice With A Metronome | The Online Metronome

How To Practice With A Metronome

Teaching music lessons can be a great way to make a career or generate side income. It can also be one heck of a grind. One of the first things you should do is determine how much to charge your students per lesson. Here are some tips I learned from running my own studio and helping friends develop theirs on how to pick your lesson fee.

## Tip 1: Look At Other Music Teachers
Consider this step your "market research." Established teachers have figured out the appropriate rate for the area. Furthermore, their rates set an expectation in parents' minds about what a fair rate is. Look at music instructors who teach the same instrument as you, as this can dramatically impact the going rate. Being the only French horn teacher in town gives you a greater ability to pick your rate than being one of 100 piano teachers. In the latter scenario, parents have the ability to price shop. Another thing you can do to differentiate yourself is to teach a specific sub-category. For example, there might be a lot of violin teachers, but you specialize in the Suzuki method. Or, maybe you focus on specific skill levels, instead of all ages and abilities.

## Tip 2: Compare Professional Experience
Now that you know how much other teachers are charging for the "same product," consider how your resume compares. A professional musician who plays in the local symphony, has a doctorate, and 30-years of experience will be able to charge a higher rate than someone who is teaching over the summers to pay for college. Even if you are an amazing private teacher, the best in the world, no one knows that. All they know is what your teaching resume looks like. To command a premium price, you will likely need a degree in music.

## Tip 3: Figure Out Your Costs
In many cities, you will need to work with the school board or band directors to get approval to teach. Sometimes they have fixed rates and sometimes they take a percentage of your lesson in exchange for using their practice room. This also happens if you teach through a school of music or one of those websites that enable online lessons. You will have other costs associated with starting a music studio: music, advertising, gas to drive to student's homes, etc. Take all of these into consideration and figure out what your actual per hour rate is. Sometimes the numbers just don't add up. You can still teach music lessons but do so because you love the process, and not because you want to pay the mortgage.

## Tip 4: Make Contracts
Students are going to miss lessons. Like, a lot. And if they cancel last minute or just miss the lesson then you don't get paid and you have still wasted the time. You can avoid this if you have a clear contract that outlines how these events will be handled. Make sure that you have a policy that says any cancellations done with less than 24 hours will still be charged. This might feel awkward, but you have to enforce it.

## Tip 5: Fire The Bad Students
When I was teaching, there were a couple of students who consistently missed lessons. Week after week, they would cancel minutes before the 24-hour deadline. It is unfair to you and to other students to keep them in your studio. After 3 times, cut these students from your roster. Too often, music instructors are struggling to make money, so they will lower their standards for any opportunity. This makes for a miserable and unsustainable career. If a student has too many absences, then politely let them know that it seems like this isn't a priority for them and that you have students on your waiting list who would benefit from this time.

## Tip 6: Build Products
When you teach private lessons, you are trading time for money. It's 1-to-1. Now, what if you could teach multiple students in that one hour? Maybe they pay a smaller fee, but you have 10 of them in the group lesson. Which is a better use of your hour: teaching an individual lesson for $40, or teaching 10 music students who are all paying $10 ($100). I know you can't fill your 40-hour week with events like these, but this should teach the important idea of looking for ways to scale your time. Plus, not every parent can or will pay $40 each week, but they might consider $10 a month. You can capture students that might not otherwise be interested in your services. Here are some examples I've seen be successful:

- Audition prep masterclasses
- Teaching Sectionals
- Run rehearsals for school band directors
- Teach group music classes
- Lesson books on warmups, favorite exercises, etc.
- Sell lesson plans to other teachers
- Summer workshops
- Performing recitals or other performance opportunities

One of the big problems I see when teachers do this is that they (1) don't repeat the process (2) don't limit attendance. If you can teach a sectional at one school, one day a week, for one hour, and make $100, why wouldn't you then call every middle and high school in the area and offer to do the same? Maybe there are enough schools where you only teach once every two weeks. Your calendar is full, but the band director isn't spending a ton of cash. Limiting attendance is important because it creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity. This is more of a marketing tactic than a financial one, but it allows you to get fully booked and then later offer another session.

Hopefully, with these 6 tips, you'll be able to price your time appropriately and discover opportunities to monetize that help you achieve your goals!

A student paying a music teacher for a lesson.

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6 tips to finding the right music price to charge for a music lesson and to help keep your teaching schedule full.

How Much Should You Charge For Music Lessons? | The Online Metronome

How Much Should You Charge For Music Lessons?

Over the past decade, I must have judged at least a hundred honor band or all-state auditions at both the high school and middle school levels. Here are some tips to help you practice for your audition.

## Master The Scales

Scales are the most boring part of the audition, and oftentimes students think "oh, that's easy" and so they don't practice them. This is a huge mistake.

Judges typically have a sheet in front of them with all the pieces you will play. Next to that sheet is a blank spot for how many points you scored on that selection. The actual scores vary, but scales typically account for 30% - 40% of your total score.

These are easy points.

I can't tell you how often I have heard a student say "I don't know that one" or attempt to play it in a way that says the same thing. That could cost them 10 points right there. Even if they were the best on every other piece in the audition, they could lose to someone who was just okay but knew their scales.

You know that scales will be asked for. Learn them. You'd be surprised how close the scores are for the people who barely make it and those who don't make it. Mastering your scales can make the difference between winning and losing.

You can practice this by writing down the names of all the scales on the audition onto tiny pieces of paper. Put them into a hat and then draw them one at a time. Play whichever scale you draw. If you play it perfectly, put it to the side, if you mess it up then practice it and put it back in the hat. Repeat this process until you have pulled all the scales from the hat. Do this every day.

## Perfect Pitch And Rhythm
When it comes to performing the prepared piece, make sure you have the basics down. Musical interpretation is the last layer that an audition judge will consider. Wrong rhythms and missed notes are the easiest things to hear (especially after you've heard it a hundred times).

Usually, the judge will know a couple of "problem spots" where a majority of students will mess up either the rhythm or notes. If you can perform it perfectly, you'll stand out.

One way to fix this is to develop a strong mental version of the piece. If you can't hear the note, then you probably can't play it. It's like throwing a dart at the target you want to be able to see the target. Many times a professional musician will put up recordings of the piece to YouTube. Listen to it several times.

Also, make sure to practice with a <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome" title="Online metronome.">metronome</a> and a <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/instrument-tuner">tuner</a>.

## Practice Sight Reading
I know, you're thinking "How can I practice sight-reading, I have no idea what it will be?" That is true, but you can still practice the art of sight-reading and develop a strategy of how to approach it. You'll typically have between 30 seconds and a minute to look through the piece before you play. You should know exactly how you are going to make the most of that time before you go into your audition.

To practice sight reading, get an <a href="https://theonlinemetronom.com/websites-free-sheet-music" title="Websites where you can find free sheet music."> etude book</a> you have never seen (maybe even from another instrument). Look at the first etude. If it is long, then look at just the first three or four lines as that is usually how long the passage will be for sight-reading. Scan through it until you find a section that looks hard, finger and count through that mentally a couple of times, then go back to scanning. You want to use this time to find the parts that will be hard, don't mentally practice the easy stuff.

## Dealing With Nerves
The big difference between playing audition music in the practice room and in the audition is the introduction of being nervous. There are two ways to deal with getting nervous for auditions.

The first is to make sure you know the music really really well - maybe you have even memorized it. When you are that comfortable with a piece, you will naturally be more confident, and much of performing the piece will be muscle memory. Your body will know what to do even if your mind is freaking out.

The second is to practice getting nervous. I know, that sounds really unpleasant, but you have to get used to that feeling. Start with something that makes you just a little nervous, like recording yourself and then listening back to it. Once you feel comfortable with that, gradually increase to something that makes you more nervous: play for a friend, play for your parents, play for your teacher, play for a group of people.

If you can work through these four things, then I promise you that you'll stand a great shot at making honor band or all-state.

The judges table behind a curtain at a students honor band audition.

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Want to nail your next honor band or all-state audition? Here are 4 tips from a former judge.

Want to nail your next honor band or all-state audition? Here are 4 tips from a former judge..

Honor Band Audition Tips | The Online Metronome

Honor Band Audition Tips

## What is a tempo marking?
A tempo marking lets you know the speed (called tempo) at which the composer wants a piece of music performed. Tempo markings are usually written as a word that corresponds with a number, which you will see below, or in beats per minute (bpm). For example, Allegro means fast and is a tempo between 120 bpm and 168 bpm. The composer could write Allegro or 120bpm. Notice that I wrote "between 120 and 168 beats per minute," as it is very common for tempo markings to encompass a range. The musician or conductor is free to choose where in this range the piece is performed.

If the tempo is written just as beats per minute, the composer will show you which note value is receiving the beat. For example, in common time, the quarter note received the beat. Composers would notate the tempo as Quarter note = 120bpm.

You'll see tempo markings most often written in Italian. Here is a list of common tempo markings and their metronome mark range. You'll notice that many of the words end with -issimo or -etto. -issimo means "extremely" and -etto meaning a "lesser version" of. A great example of this is with Largo (slow); Larghissimo is extremely slow and Larghetto is less slow (or faster) than Largo.

## Italian Tempo Marking
### Slow Tempo Markings
| Tempo Marking	| Translation	| Beats Per Minute| 
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Larghissimo	| Very, very slow	| 20 bpm or slower| 
| Solenne/Grave	| Slow and solemn	| 20 - 40 bpm| 
| Lento	| Slowly	| 40 - 60 bpm| 
| Lentissimo	| At a very slow tempo	| 48 bpm or slower| 
| Largo	| Broadly	| 40 - 60 bpm| 
| Larghetto	| Rather broadly	| 60 - 66 bpm| 
| Adagio	| At ease, slow and stately	| 66 - 76 bpm| 
| Adagietto	| Rather slow	| 70 - 80 bpm| 
| Tranquillo	| Tranquil, calmly, or peaceful	| 80 bpm| 
| Andante moderato	| A bit slower than Andante	| 92 - 98 bpm| 

### Moderate Tempo Markings
| Tempo Marking	| Translation	| Beats Per Minute| 
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Andante	| At a walking pace, moderately slow	| 72 - 76 bpm| 
| Andantino	| Slighlty faster and more light-hearted than Andante	| 73 - 83 bpm| 
| Moderato	| Moderately	| 108 - 120 bpm| 
| Allegretto	| Moderately fast, but less than allegro	| 100 - 128 bpm| 

### Fast Tempo Markings
|Tempo Marking	|Translation	|Beats Per Minute|
| :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Allegro moderato	| Moderately quick, almost Allegro	| 116 - 120 bpm| 
| Allegro	| Fast, quickly and bright	| 120 - 156 bpm| 
| Vivace	| Briskly, Lively and fast	| 156 - 176 bpm| 
| Vivacissimo	| Very fast and lively, faster than Vivace	| 172 - 176 bpm| 
| Allegrissimo or Allegro vivace	| Very Fast	| 172 - 176 bpm| 
| Presto	| Very, very fast	| 168 - 200 bpm| 
| Prestissimo	| Faster than Presto	| 200+ bpm| 

Sometimes you will see the tempo written in the native language of the composer (typically French, German, or English).

## French Tempo Markings
- Au mouvement - play the original or main tempo
- Grave - slowly and solemnly
- Largement - slowly
- Lento - slowly
- Modere - moderate tempo
- Rapide - fast
- Vif - lively
- Vite - fast
These two words are modifiers for tempos. You'll see them before the tempos defined above.
Moins - less Tres - very
Take the tempo marking of vif, which means lively. Tres vif would mean very lively. Moins vif would mean less lively.

## German Tempo Markings
- Kraftig - vigorous or powerful
- Langsam - slowly
- etwas breit
- Lebhaft - lively (mood)
- MaBig - moderately
- Rasch - quickly
- Schnell - fast
- Bewegt - animated, with motion

## Terms for Changes in Tempo
Tempos will usually vary during a piece of music. This can happen gradually or all of a sudden. Here are some musical terms you might see that indicate a change in tempo:

- Accelerando - gradual speeding up (abbreviation: accel.)
- Allargando - growing broader or decreasing in tempo
- Calando - going slower (and usually also softer)
- Doppio movimento / doppio piu mosso - double-speed
- Doppio piu lento - half-speed
- Lentando - gradually slowing, and softer
- Meno mosso - less movement; slower
- Meno moto - less motion
- Piu mosso - more movement; faster
- Mosso - movement, more lively; quicker, much like piu mosso, but not as extreme
- Precipitando - hurrying; going faster/forward
- Rallentando (often written as rall.) - a gradual slowing down
- Ritardando (often written as rit.) - gradual slowing down
- Ritenuto - slightly slower, but achieved more immediately
- Rubato - free adjustment of (slowing) the tempo for an expressive purpose
- Stringendo - pressing on faster, literally "tightening"
- Tardando - slowing down gradually (same as ritardando)
- Tempo Giusto - very strict tempo
- Tempo Primo - resume the original tempo

## Practicing Tempo
A common mistake students make when practicing music is to set their [metronome](https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome
) to the tempo marking and try to play it. If the passage is simple, this might work (but then why are you practicing it?), but a smarter approach is to set your metronome at least 20 bpm slower. 

Try playing the passage at this slower tempo and see if you can play it perfectly. If you can, then increase the tempo by 2 to 4 BPM and then play through it again. Repeat this process unit you can play the passage perfectly 12 BPM faster than the tempo marking in the music. This will ensure you have the dexterity to play confidently play through it during a performance. 

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Most tempo markings are in Italian, French, or German. We've translated them and show the bpm.

Common Tempo Markings In Music | The Online Metronome

Common Tempo Markings In Music

## How Much Do Music Lessons Cost?
You should expect to pay between $15 and $50 for a half-hour lesson and $30 and $100 for an hour-long lesson. That's a pretty big range, but prices will depend on several factors. Some factors that will impact lesson price are:

1. How long is the lesson? (shorter lessons are cheaper)
2. How experienced is the teacher (less experienced teachers are cheaper)
3. Where is the lesson being held (If the lessons are held at the school, it usually means the teacher has an arrangement with either the band director or the school district. This can cap the price they charge)
4. What instrument do you play (Teachers who play more popular instruments are usually cheaper. These would be instruments like trumpet, guitar, clarinet, drums, and vocal)
5. Are you signing up for multiple lessons? Teaching music can mean inconsistent cash flow. Teachers might be willing to offer you a discount if you pay for a month's of lessons in advance.

## When Should Your Student Start Taking Lessons?
Most students begin taking music lessons when they are in middle school. Some parents will enroll their children in piano lessons or violin lessons as early as elementary school. While there are advantages to starting at a younger age, there are also some disadvantages. For example:

1. Practicing takes a lot of focus, which is typically something you don't develop until later in life.
2. Most instruments are made for adults. This means there might be some physical limitations preventing progress. (Think of a child trying to play double bass or trombone).
3. They might not like it. Sure, as a parent, your job is to expose your child to different experiences to help them develop. However, if you introduce the experience at the wrong time in their life, they might hate the experience due to external factors. Wait until your kid shows some interest in music, either by directly asking to enroll in a band or choir, or by really enjoying listening and moving to music.

##Why Should I Take Music Lessons?
Even if you never want to play in the New York Phil, there are many reasons that taking music lessons can be beneficial.

1. **Learn to set goals.** Practicing is a series of short-term and long-term goals. You might want to perform well in a difficult concert 3-months from now. That is your long-term goal. To get there, you have to figure out the small steps that will help you achieve that goal. This is a life skill that will translate well to managing projects in other subjects or the workplace. A good lesson teacher will help show students how to think like this.
2. **Learn how to take feedback.** It can be difficult to hear that something needed improvement, but learning how to take feedback and build upon is critical for improving in music and other skills.
3. **Improve mental focus.** Practicing is one of the more mentally strenuous activities that one can participate in. Consider how much time we teach kids how to study. Hardly ever, yet knowing how to learn quickly is a critical life skill. Practicing forces you to look at how you learn best and develop your own routines to maximize results. This translates extremely well to other subjects and work.
4. **It's part of the big picture**. There has been an increasing focus on STEM subjects in the school system, but consider this: If you were to visit another country, what would you find more fascinating â€“ someone doing math or listening to the music of their culture? If you said the former, remind me not to vacation with you. Since the time of the Greeks, music has been part of the curriculum as it goes beyond learning and into personal development.

## How Do I Find a Good Music Teacher?
Start by asking your music director if there is someone they would recommend. They should know several teachers in the area that are talented and trustworthy. You should also ask your friends for recommendations.

Once you have a couple of options, ask the teacher if they do trial lessons. A good teacher should say yes, as it will let you see if there is a good connection. Come to the lesson prepared. Have a piece of music that you have been working on but that you have some problems with and would like the advice on. A good teacher should ask you what your goals are, ask questions about you, listen carefully as you perform, provide clear feedback, suggest exercises, and assign homework for your next lesson.

If the teacher talks the entire time or, worse yet, is on their phone during the lesson - move on. You should feel like they really paid attention and that you left the lesson with plenty of ideas to work on for the next week.

## How Often Should I Take Lessons?
Just like practice, lessons work best when you are consistent. Aim to take lessons once a week for between 30 minutes to an hour. Shorter than that and you won't have time to get into your problems. Longer than that and it can be difficult to maintain focus.

A common mistake I've seen as a teacher is that students will treat music like another subject and want to "cram" before an audition. Taking four lessons in four days might help you, but it wonâ€™t help you as much as spreading them out over the course of a month. You must have time to practice the feedback and build new habits. Consider how much longer it would take you to learn to do a backflip as compared to learning that George Washington was the first president.

I wouldn't recommend taking private lessons more than once a week, however, some teachers do have studio meetings. A "studio" is all the students who study with the teacher, and sometimes teachers will have a day or session where all the students get together to play for one another or to listen to a guest performer. These kinds of sessions are different from lessons and can absolutely be stacked on top of your usual routine.

## How Can I Support My Student?
Music lessons are where you check-in and get new ideas, but the real work takes place during the rest of the week. Since the teacher isn't there, it can be hard to know if your student is following through or correctly practicing the assignments. You can be a strong ally to the teacher in monitoring practice habits in the time between lessons.

1. Ask the teacher what this week's assignment is.
2. Make sure there is time for your student to practice every day.
3. Encourage your student to keep a <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/practice-journal" title="Free practice journals for download.">practice journal</a>. Ask to see their notes.
4. Ask the lesson teacher if there are certain things you should be listening for. What is a bad habit your student is working on? How should they be correcting it?


A student practicing their clarinet in preparation for a music lesson. 

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Everything a parent should know before enrolling a student in music lessons.

Thinking of signing your student up for music lessons? Here is everything you need to know as a parent to make the right choices.

A Parent's Guide to Music Lessons | The Online Metronome

A Parent's Guide to Music Lessons

Let's face it, sheet music gets lost and damaged. In fact, I don't know a single musician who hasn't had a nightmare about showing up to a performance only to notice that they have forgotten an important something... Which is why it's useful to know where you can find free printable sheet music. Here is a list of some of my favorite websites with free sheet music.

## IMSLP
[IMSLP](https://imslp.org) is a library of public domain music. That means that there are no copyright issues to using this music and that you can freely use any of the resources found on this website. They have a massive database: 460,000 musical scores, 17,000 composers, and 54,000 recordings, and they support 28 different languages. The site uses Google search and all works are organized alphabetically, so it's extremely easy to find exactly what you're looking for. I use this site for two main purposes: 1. To find PDF versions of the etude books I own 2. Look at the full scores for pieces I am practicing. You'll be surprised at how many instrument-specific etude books you can find with a little bit of digging -- one thing that might make it challenging for beginners is that the pieces are notated in their original language, so many of the titles might look unfamiliar because they are in French, German, or Italian.

## MUSOPEN
[MUSOPEN](https://musopen.org)also has a library of public domain sheet music and recordings. However, their database isn't as extensive as IMSLP and they do show some ads on the site. However, they do allow you to search by instrument, which makes it easy to find trumpet sheet music or whatever you're specifically looking for. Two features that are unique to MUSOPEN are their streaming radio station and their education center. While their education resources are still under development, there are a ton of great articles for beginning musicians.

## 8Notes
[8Notes](https://www.8notes.com) site is organized by instrument and they have everything. They even have free sheet music for the recorder and mandolin. When you go into a specific instrument's section, they further break down their resources into categories like classical sheet music, jazz, rock and pop, difficulty levels (beginners through advanced), and even play-along tracks. If you're a music teacher, then you'll enjoy how much popular music you can find on this site. From my experience, teaching concepts through current music is an easy way to keep the student motivated and reduce some of the learning time as there is already some familiarity with the piece. If you want even more options, there is a paid subscription version that is $20 a year.

## MuseScore
[MuseScore](https://musescore.com) is a site where individuals can contribute their own arrangements. This is awesome because that means you have an ever-growing database of pieces, but it does mean that some of the quality might be in question. However, MuseScore allows you to "favorite" pieces, which gives you an indication of how many other musicians have enjoyed the piece.

MuseScore provides some pretty cool tools to help musicians practice each of these arrangements. You can listen to a midi recording of the piece (with each bar being highlighted as it is played), a piano keyboard that shows the keys being played along with the recording, and a metronome. Unfortunately, some of these features are only accessible with their "Pro Membership." As of this article publishing, the membership fee is $49 USD a year.

## MutopiaProject
With 2,117 pieces, the [MutopiaProject](http://www.mutopiaproject.org) isn't the most extensive, but it does have a good mix of musical genres available for download. All of which are public domain or under creative commons license, so you can do whatever you want with the music. Their files are available in several file formats (pdf, ps, mid, and ly)

## BandMusicPDF
Many of the free music sites we've covered feature orchestral, small ensemble, or solo instrumental music. [BandMusicPDF](https://www.bandmusicpdf.org/) focuses on wind band music making it a tremendous resource for band directors and band students. As of this writing, their library has just under 3,700 pieces available.

Some other features band directors will appreciate are the inclusion of the piece's grade level, notation of which parts are missing, date, and genre.

## Free Scores
[Free Scores](http://www.free-scores.com/) has bagpipe music. That should tell you everything you need to know about how extensive the resources are. The searchability of this site is great, too, as you can search by composer, instrument, or musical style. One thing of note is that this site includes a really nice selection of free choir music. Many of the pieces include a brief historical description of the musical work and a high-quality recording.

## Free Blank Sheet Music

Of course, sometimes you just want blank sheet music (also called manuscript paper) to compose with. You can buy a book of it, or you can print out this free version we have made for you.

![free-manuscript-paper.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/the-online-metronome/image/upload/v1631114707/theonlinemetronome/free_manuscript_paper_f2d2bbdd7b_de8ywm.png)

## What did we miss?
Is there a resource that you love and we did not include on this site? Please let us know and we will be happy to update our list.


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7 of my favorite sites to find tons of free sheet music for any instrument.

7 Websites to Find Free Sheet Music

Have you ever listened to yourself talk on tape and thought "I don't sound like that!" Well, bad news. You do sound like that and the same phenomenon applies to how you sound on your music instrument. Recording your practice sessions is a great way to develop a more objective ear and identify issues in your playing. Here are just some of the reasons I recommend the practice to all of my students.
 
## Allows You to Focus on Performance
Have you ever tried to do homework and watch TV at the same time? Odds are you end up not really paying attention to the show and you do a poor job on your homework. You get much better results if you focus on just one thing. The same is true for practicing music. Working through a new piece of music or practicing a difficult passage requires a lot of mental energy. Our mind is filled with thoughts like "Remember, more air on this note" or "Think [subdivisions](https://theonlinemetronome.com/online-metronome
) to keep a steady tempo." Paying attention to the "doing" aspect means you can't really pay attention to how you sound. Or, if you do, then you are taking away focus on developing or improving a habit. Recording your practice session frees up your mind to focus on doing one thing at a time, which means you'll do it more effectively.  

## Recording Serves As An Objective Ear
"A photograph doesn't lie." Have you heard that saying before? It's less true in today's world of photoshop, but the idea is that a photograph captures a moment in time without our personal experiences clouding our interpretation. You might have experienced this when retelling a story with a friend and you swear something happened one way, and they swear the opposite. Our point of view, emotions, and physical feelings can all cloud how we see or hear something. For example, if I am feeling dehydrated, then I am more likely to describe my sound as "tight" or "thin" because that is how my lips feel. The truth of how I sound might be something very different.

Recording yourself removes those other thoughts and allows you to focus on what really matters; how you sound. This is especially effective if you can give yourself some time between when you record and when you listen back. Allow yourself to forget how you felt when playing.

## Capture "Ah-ha" Moments
Inspiration is always described as coming in a flash. It comes out of nowhere and then disappears just as quickly. These moments come from a unique combination of elements that are hard to recreate. They make perfect sense in the moment, but days later, these ideas somehow don't have the same resonance. It is important to capture your ideas as they happen. By recording your practice session, you can explain these moments in great detail as they occur so that later, you can recall the insight.  

## Capture "Uh-oh" Moments
Have you ever felt sick right until you walked into the doctor's office? Or have issues with your car until it rolls into the mechanic's office? Life has a funny way of giving us problems until we want to show them to the person with the expertise to fix them. This is true for our playing, too. Sometimes we might have issues that we want our lesson teacher's opinion on, but we cannot explain or recreate it when we're in the lesson. A powerful teachable moment has been lost. When you record your practice, you capture these moments, which makes it easier to **(1)** diagnose and **(2)** highlight to your teacher.  

When you have a consistent problem, listen back and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is this problem a range, rhythm, intonation, musical, or articulation problem?
2. What happens right before the problem? Right afterward?
3. Are there trends in these problems?
4. Based on these other questions, what do I think is the cause?
5. What are five ways/exercises I can use to correct this issue?

##Practice Getting Nervous
If recording your practice sessions is so valuable for improving, then why is it that all musicians don't do it? There are probably many reasons, but one that I hear from my own students is that they get nervous.  

Good!  

Do you get nervous in performance? Yes. Do you get nervous in auditions? Absolutely. The only way to reduce that is to practice getting nervous. When you force yourself to get nervous, you get used to how it feels and what you need to do to overcome those nerves. With that in mind, if hitting the record button makes you nervous, then that is a low-risk way to begin to work on that problem.  

## Track Your Progress
The journey to master a musical instrument is not an easy one. Some days are fun, and some days are frustrating. It's common for us to feel stuck in our progress and begin to lose motivation. That is because progress comes slowly and in small doses and it can be hard to notice improvement. However, if you listen to a recording of yourself from last month or last year, you might notice a dramatic improvement in your playing. Listening back can remind you how far your hard work has taken you and encourage you to continue.  

## Take Notes
Whatever your reason for recording your practice sessions, it is important to always write down your learnings. Two of the major reasons to write down your insights are **(1)** Writing things down actives more of your brain, causing you to remember them more easily.**(2)** Listening to an entire practice session again can take a lot of time. Jotting down the most important aspects in your <a href="https://theonlinemetronome.com/practice-journal" title="Free practice journal templates for musicians.">practice journal</a> will allow you to quickly skim and remember what happened. Personally, I like to also jot down time stamps so that if I want to go back and listen, I know exactly when to fast forward to.  

## Advice On Setting Up Your Recording Equipment
Try to practice and record yourself in different rooms. You will sound different when you are on stage than you do when you are in a practice room. Try to practice one a week in your schools auditorium or some larger space that is more similar to where you will perform. Place the mic several rows back so that you are getting the perspective of an audience member. You will likely realize that the nuance of your playing isn't as clear. 

**Do not put the mic at your bell.** This is not what you sound like. Not to anyone else, anyway. This might seem obvious, but now imagine that you use your phone to record and you place it on your music stand. How far away is it from the bell? At minimum, put the microphone on a table a few feet away.

## How Often Should You Record Yourself? 
I would record myself in every practice session. Note, this isn't saying you should record all of the practice session, but that you should always try to perform a section of what you are working on and evaluate it. For example, if I am working on an etude and there are 12 measures that I am focusing on, at the end of my practice session I will perform those 12 measure and record it. I might also play the entire etude start to finish and record it. I can use this recording to track my progress, assess what needs work, and practice getting into the performing headspace.

As you get closer to a performance, you should record yourself more frequently. Try to record full runs of your concert material. 

## How Should Your Analyze Your Recordings
There are a few ways I would recommend listening back and analyzing. They depend on what you are trying to identify.

### Problem Patterns
If you want to know where you are struggling, then record yourself playing the same thing three times in a row. Listen back to the recordings with a pencil. When you hear an error or something you want to work on, circle it with the pencil. After listening to all the recordings, look at the sections you have circled multiple times; This is where you should focus. 

### Focused Practice
When you are working on a specific passage, you should be recording attempts at performing it and then listening back to that attempt in real time. This will tell you if your adjustments were effective. 

### Recording Lessons
I love recording my music lessons. Sometimes a teacher says something that just makes sense in that moment, but is difficult to recreate outside the practice room. Recordings help capture that wisdom. I would recommend recording your lesson, then waiting a few days before listening. Listen back with your practice journal and take notes along with timestamps for important moments in the lesson. For example, at timestamp 5:02 my teacher talks to me about where to breath in order to make a more beautiful phrase. Try to a dd a note on how you will practice or apply what was learned in the lesson. Using the same example, I might take out my music and mark where to breath or schedule time in my next practice session to practice and record that passage with the new breath marks. 

### Performance Readiness
Do not listen to the recording right after you run a practice performance. It is too easy to listen with a bias on how you think the performance went. Give yourself a few days to forget the emotions. When you listen to the performance have a piece of paper ready. I like to write down all the pieces I am playing and leave plenty of space for notes. Don't ty to write down everything you are unhappy with. Instead, limit yourself to two or three items per piece that you want to improve upon. This ensure you have clear actionable steps.



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Want to know the secret to getting better at an instrument faster? Record every practice session.

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