Violin metronome
A metronome set up for violin practice: 60 BPM in 4/4 with beats only, so one click is one second and a four-beat whole bow takes exactly four seconds. Press Start or the space bar.
Larghetto
Space start/stop · ↑ ↓ ±1 BPM · Shift ±10 · T tap
Speed trainer
Practice timer
- 60 BPMpreset tempo
- 4/4time signature
- beats onlysubdivision
- 1click per second
Why this preset for violin?
For a string player the metronome measures the bow as well as the rhythm. At 60 BPM each click is a second, which makes bow distribution easy to count: four beats for a whole bow on an open string, then eight. Without subdivisions the space between clicks is quiet enough to hear your tone and intonation, and you can add sub-clicks when you move on to scales and etudes.
Typical practice tempos for violin
These are common starting points rather than rules; your comfortable tempo depends on the passage and your level. Begin at the bottom of a range and move up only when the playing is clean and relaxed.
| Material | BPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open-string long bows (whole bow) | 60, 4–8 beats per bow | Same sound from frog to tip |
| Scales, separate bows, one note per beat | 60–92 | Stop and check intonation on any note that is out of tune |
| Scales slurred 2, 4 or 8 notes per bow | 60–80 | Keep the bow speed constant across the slur |
| Détaché etudes in sixteenths | 50–100 | Begin well below the printed tempo |
| Shifting exercises | 50–70 | Start the shift on the sub-click before the beat and arrive on the beat |
| Vibrato drills (2, 3, 4 pulses per beat) | 60–80 | Use eighths, triplets and sixteenths as the pulse |
Step-up practice plan: 60 → 92 BPM
Exercise: a two-octave scale in eighth notes, separate bows. Add 4 BPM every 3 days; at this pace you reach 92 BPM on day 25, after 9 sessions. Play each tempo cleanly three times in a row before moving on. If a session is not clean, repeat the same tempo next time: the table is a ceiling, not a deadline.
| Session | Day | BPM | Notes per second (eighth notes) | Time per note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 60 | 2 | 500 ms |
| 2 | 4 | 64 | 2.13 | 469 ms |
| 3 | 7 | 68 | 2.27 | 441 ms |
| 4 | 10 | 72 | 2.4 | 417 ms |
| 5 | 13 | 76 | 2.53 | 395 ms |
| 6 | 16 | 80 | 2.67 | 375 ms |
| 7 | 19 | 84 | 2.8 | 357 ms |
| 8 | 22 | 88 | 2.93 | 341 ms |
| 9 | 25 | 92 | 3.07 | 326 ms |
Within a session, the speed trainer can warm you up to the day's tempo: for example from 51 to 64 BPM, adding 2 BPM every 4 bars, on day 4. For the method behind gradual increases, read how to build speed with a metronome.
Subdivisions for violin
Bow changes are where time slips on the violin. Set eighths and change bow exactly on a click; the sub-click shows whether a long note was cut short to prepare the change. In slow movements, keep eighth subdivisions on so dotted rhythms and rests get their full value.
For vibrato, use subdivisions as a pulse: two even oscillations per beat with eighths, three with triplets, four with sixteenths, all at 60 BPM. The table below shows how fast that is. Raise the tempo slowly; the aim is a controlled, even vibrato, not speed for its own sake.
Bow length in seconds: how long one bow lasts for 1, 2, 4 and 8 beats per bow.
| BPM | 1 beat per bow | 2 beats | 4 beats | 8 beats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1.2 s | 2.4 s | 4.8 s | 9.6 s |
| 60 | 1.0 s | 2.0 s | 4.0 s | 8.0 s |
| 72 | 0.83 s | 1.67 s | 3.33 s | 6.67 s |
| 80 | 0.75 s | 1.5 s | 3.0 s | 6.0 s |
Vibrato rate when you make 2, 3 or 4 even oscillations per beat:
| BPM | 2 per beat | 3 per beat | 4 per beat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1.67 per second | 2.5 per second | 3.33 per second |
| 60 | 2 per second | 3 per second | 4 per second |
| 72 | 2.4 per second | 3.6 per second | 4.8 per second |
| 80 | 2.67 per second | 4 per second | 5.33 per second |
Tips for practising violin with a metronome
- For long bows, click beats 2–4 until they are muted so only the start of each bow sounds; count the silent beats as you draw the bow.
- For Baroque dance movements, set the matching meter (3/4 for a minuet or sarabande, 6/8 for many gigues) so the strong click falls on your down-bow.
- The violin sits right under your left ear. Put the speaker to your right, or use one earphone in the right ear, and try the Woodblock sound.
- Practise string crossings in eighths at a slow tempo first; the crossing should take no time away from the note before it.
Open the metronome at a fixed tempo: 50 BPM, 60 BPM, 70 BPM, 90 BPM. New to the click? Start with how to use a metronome, then how to practise with one.
Metronomes for other instruments
- Guitar metronomeSet up for guitar practice
- Piano metronomeSet up for piano technique
- Drum metronomeSet up for drummers
- Running cadence metronomeSteps per minute for runners, 150–190
FAQ
What tempo should I practise violin scales at?
Begin with separate bows, one note per click, at about 60 BPM, which leaves a full second per note to check intonation. Then play two notes per click, and later slur 2, 4 and 8 notes per bow at the same tempo before you raise the BPM.
How can a metronome improve my bowing?
Count beats per bow. At 60 BPM a whole bow lasting 4 beats takes 4 seconds and one lasting 8 beats takes 8 seconds. Dividing the bow into equal lengths per beat trains an even bow speed and a steady tone.
How do I use a metronome for vibrato?
Set 60 BPM and make a fixed number of even oscillations per click: two with eighth-note subdivisions, then three with triplets, then four with sixteenths. Raise the tempo a few BPM at a time once each rate is even.
How do I hear the metronome while playing the violin?
The instrument is close to your left ear and can mask a quiet click. Place the phone or computer to your right, or use a single earphone, raise the volume and choose the Woodblock or Beep sound.