5/4 metronome
5/4 has five quarter-note beats per bar, usually grouped 3+2 or 2+3. Famous examples include Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" (felt 3+2), Holst's "Mars" from The Planets and Lalo Schifrin's "Mission: Impossible" theme.
Allegro
Space start/stop · ↑ ↓ ±1 BPM · Shift ±10 · T tap
Speed trainer
Practice timer
How to count 5/4
Count "1 2 3 4 5" with accents on 1 and 4 for 3+2, or on 1 and 3 for 2+3. Thinking of the bar as a short group plus a long group makes it feel natural quickly.
Metronome settings for 5/4
- Choose the grouping (3+2 or 2+3) to put a secondary accent where the music needs it.
- Start slower than you think — 90–100 BPM — until the bar feels like one unit.
- Count out loud with the groups: "1-2-3-1-2".
Accent groupings for 5/4
The metronome offers these groupings for 5 beats; the first beat of each group is accented: 2+3, 3+2.
Other time signatures
- 2/4simple duple
- 3/4simple triple
- 4/4simple quadruple
- 6/8compound duple
- 7/8irregular (odd)
- 9/8compound triple
- 12/8compound quadruple
New to meters? Read time signatures explained.
FAQ
How do you count 5/4 time?
Count "1 2 3 4 5" with accents on 1 and 4 for 3+2, or on 1 and 3 for 2+3. Thinking of the bar as a short group plus a long group makes it feel natural quickly.
How do I set a metronome for 5/4?
Set 5 beats per bar with a quarter-note beat and choose the 3+2 accent grouping. This page is already set up that way at 120 BPM; the BPM counts quarter notes.
What kind of meter is 5/4?
5/4 is a irregular (odd) meter: 5 quarter notes per bar.