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About
Time Trainer Metronome is a feature-rich iOS metronome app developed by Justin Guitar, built for musicians who want to move beyond simply following a click and develop genuine internal timing. The core metronome is accurate and stable—something not guaranteed with many competing apps—and offers multiple sounds (cowbell, wood, xylophone, and more), accent control for odd time signatures, a visual beat indicator, tap tempo, and a vibration mode. What sets Time Trainer apart are its five specialized training tools. Bar Breaks mutes the metronome for user-defined intervals, forcing you to maintain tempo independently and re-sync when the click returns—excellent for building confidence. Random Beat Drop randomly silences individual beats to reduce over-reliance on the click. Speed Up allows you to set a start tempo, end tempo, and session duration so the BPM increases automatically—ideal for working up scales, arpeggios, or licks without interruption. Step Upper lets you program distinct tempo stages by bars or minutes for structured progression. Finally, Subdivisions adds rhythmic subdivisions, especially helpful at very slow tempos. A built-in countdown timer helps keep practice sessions on schedule. The app is suited for guitarists, drummers, pianists, and any musician serious about timing. Community support is available via the JustinGuitar forum. Time Trainer Metronome is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch for a one-time purchase of $1.99.
Key Features
- Accurate & Stable Metronome: Provides a reliable, drift-free click with multiple sound options (cowbell, wood, xylophone), tap tempo, accent control for odd time signatures, visual beat indicator, and vibration feedback.
- Bar Breaks: Mutes the metronome for a configurable number of bars, forcing you to maintain tempo independently and re-sync precisely when the click returns. Includes a random mode for extra challenge.
- Random Beat Drop: Randomly silences individual beats during practice to reduce over-reliance on the click, including a gradual mode that progressively mutes more beats over a 5-minute session.
- Speed Up: Automatically ramps BPM from a start tempo to an end tempo over a set session duration—perfect for drilling scales, arpeggios, or licks without manual BPM adjustments.
- Step Upper & Subdivisions: Step Upper lets you program distinct tempo stages by bars or minutes for structured tempo progression; Subdivisions adds rhythmic subdivisions to aid clarity at very slow tempos.
Use Cases
- Guitarists drilling scales or arpeggios who want the tempo to increase automatically without interrupting their flow.
- Drummers and musicians working to reduce over-reliance on the click by practicing with randomly dropped beats.
- Music students building an independent internal pulse by playing through muted bar sections and resynchronizing with the click.
- Performers practicing in odd time signatures using accent control to mark unusual beat groupings.
- Musicians keeping structured, timed practice sessions on schedule using the built-in countdown timer.
Pros
- Far More Than a Basic Metronome: Five dedicated training modes transform the app into a comprehensive rhythm-development tool, addressing common practice weaknesses like beat-chasing and tempo inconsistency.
- One-Time Affordable Purchase: At $1.99 with no subscription, it delivers substantial value for serious musicians at a very low cost.
- Versatile Sound & Feedback Options: Multiple click sounds, visual beat indicator, and vibration mode ensure usability in a wide range of practice environments.
Cons
- Limited to Apple Ecosystem: Available only on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch—Android and Windows users are excluded.
- Speed Up Uses Time-Based Steps, Not Measure-Based: BPM increases are triggered by elapsed time rather than completed measures, which can disrupt phrasing mid-bar during tempo ramp-ups.
- Older App with Infrequent Updates: With only 72 ratings and a one-time purchase model, future feature updates or OS compatibility fixes may be limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Time Trainer Metronome?
Time Trainer Metronome is an iOS app by Justin Guitar that combines a stable, accurate metronome with five specialized rhythm training tools designed to help musicians develop a strong internal sense of time.
How much does it cost?
It is a one-time paid purchase priced at $1.99 on the Apple App Store—there is no subscription or in-app purchase.
What devices is it compatible with?
Time Trainer Metronome supports iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
What is the Bar Breaks feature?
Bar Breaks mutes the metronome click for a set number of bars while you keep playing, then brings the click back so you can check if you stayed in time. A random mode drops a configurable percentage of bars unpredictably for added difficulty.
How does Speed Up work?
You set a starting BPM, an ending BPM, and a total session duration. The app automatically and gradually increases the tempo from start to end over that time, so you can push your technique progressively without stopping to manually adjust the metronome.
