Why use shortcuts
Reaching for the mouse mid-practice breaks your flow. Even taking one hand off the instrument loses momentum. Just one keyboard shortcut shaves seconds off every play/stop and adds up over a session.
Shortcuts pay off most during progressive tempo work or short loop practice — anywhere you start and stop the metronome often.
Shortcuts you can use right now
These shortcuts are active on the metronome page. They are intentionally disabled while a text input or slider has focus, and while a button has focus, Space and Enter press that button instead — to avoid interfering with typing.
| Key | Action | When |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Play / Stop | Focus is not on an input field or button. While playing with the timing chart open, Space records a timing tap instead |
If Space doesn't respond, focus is probably on a button, slider, or other control. Click on an empty area of the page and try again. While the metronome is playing with the timing chart open, Space records a timing tap instead of stopping.
Coming soon (roadmap)
These shortcuts aren't implemented yet but are on the priority list. They'll appear here as soon as they ship.
- ↑ / ↓ — BPM ±5
- ← / → — BPM ±1
- T — Tap tempo
- 2-9 — Quick beats-per-bar change
- ESC — Stop metronome
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Tips for using shortcuts
On a laptop, getting comfortable with where the spacebar sits lets you tap it with a thumb or pinky while still holding your instrument.
With an external keyboard, place it on your lap or the corner of the desk so you can reach the spacebar one-handed.
If a shortcut doesn't fire, an input field probably stole the focus. Click anywhere on the empty page area to release it — empty space inside the metronome controls is safest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spacebar does nothing — what's wrong?▼
Shortcuts are intentionally disabled when an input field or slider has focus, and Space presses a focused button instead, so those controls work as expected. Click an empty area of the page and try again. Also, while the metronome is playing with the timing chart open, Space records a timing tap instead of stopping playback.
Can I change BPM with the keyboard?▼
Right now, focus the BPM slider (Tab or click), then use ↑/↓ or ←/→ to adjust by 1 — or use the on-screen +/− buttons. Page-wide BPM shortcuts (↑/↓ ±5, ←/→ ±1) are on the roadmap.
What about time signature (beats per bar) shortcuts?▼
Currently you click the time signature controls with a mouse. Number keys (2-9) for quick beats-per-bar changes are on the roadmap.
Do shortcuts work on mobile?▼
Shortcuts are verified on desktop browsers. On mobile with only an on-screen keyboard, use the on-screen play button instead. With an external keyboard attached, behavior is not separately verified.
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