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Whether you’re a drummer, DJ, vocalist, or just want to stay on-beat while performing or running, a wearable metronome — from watches to clip-ons — provides a steady tempo that you can feel.
Traditional metronomes cover sight and sound, but can be drowned out by music and noise once you start playing, which is when you can slowly start to shift off-time. A wearable metronome takes the worry out of keeping pace, so you can always return to right where you should be.
How to Pick the Best Wearable Metronome
Here’s what to consider when choosing which wearable metronome is worth purchasing.
Settings:For getting the right BPM (beats per minute) going, there’s most likely a few different options. If you already know the exact BPM of your track, simply set the metronome to match it and you’re good to start playing. If you’re not exactly sure, or you’re in the midst of composing or rehearsing, a “tap-tempo” feature makes things even easier. With this, just like in most studio applications with mouse-clicking, you can literally tap out the exact speed of the backing beat you want for your track.
Battery: This should have at least a few hours of juice, to cover the length of a live show. A short battery life defeats the purpose of use, and it’s especially inconvenient to have to stop and recharge right when you’re hitting your creative stride. Some arrive with the battery zero percent charged, so be sure to allow some time to fuel it up before you go on stage.
Wearability: A watch might be one of the best wearable metronome options out there, but it’s certainly not the only one. Manufacturers kept this in mind, and made a variety of wearable metronomes you can buy. Bands and straps give you the option to wear them on your legs, upper arms, or on your chest to feel the beat. Clip-on style units, meantime, can snap to any piece of clothing, or to an instrument while you play.
What Are the Best Wearable Metronomes?
Here are our top picks for the best wearable metronomes for musicians, DJs and more.
