Metron's metronome front panel.
Interface
The metronome works both in portrait and landscape orientation. In portrait orientation a tap pad is available at the bottom of the metronome (see below).
BPM = Beats Per Minute
Tempo: Tempo can be set between 10 and 400 BPM (or 40 and 208 BPM if using traditional increments, a preference available in the application settings). Drag the slider or tap the plus or minus buttons to adjust the tempo. (You can tap and hold the buttons to have them auto-increase/decrease the tempo.) When not using traditional increments the slider adjustment is limited to between 50 and 220 BPM, but the plus and minus buttons allow extension of this range to the values mentioned above. The tempo setting is reflected in the virtual LCD display.
Variance: You can set an accelerando or ritardando of up to 100 BPM units. By default the variance is applied at sequence level, causing the variance to adjust the tempo only between repeats of a sequence. If however a sequence itself specifies a variance, or a bar within the sequence specifies a variance, then its variance type is respected, after which adjusting the variance on the metronome front may cause an adjustment per bar or per beat. Drag the slider or tap the plus or minus buttons to adjust the variance. (You can tap and hold the buttons to have them auto-increase/decrease the variance.)
Factor: Specify a factor between 0.25 and 2.0 the current tempo. (This allows for quick overal adjustment of sequence tempo, making it easy to start practicing a sequence that includes tempo changes at a slower tempo, and gradually increase speed, without having to reprogram the whole sequence. You can tap and hold the buttons to have them auto-increase/decrease the factor.)
Tap Pad: tap a tempo to have the metronome set and reflect back the tempo as beats per minute.
LCD: The virtual LCD display that includes a beat visualiser, the name of the active sequence, and information about the tempo and time signature settings in effect at any point during playback.
Start/Stop Button: Click the start button to start playing a sequence. Click again to stop playing. Metron plays the currently selected sequence (see Sequencer below). If the sequence does not specify a "stop at end", then the sequence will be repeated until you stop playback by clicking the start/stop button. When playback starts the settings are taken from the metronome sliders, unless the sequence (or its first bar) sets a tempo and/or variance. During playback, bars in a sequence may dynamically set a new tempo and/or variance. You can adjust the tempo and variance sliders during playback. They will stay in effect until a bar sets a new tempo and/or variance. If a bar sets only a new variance, but not a new tempo, then only the variance in the metronome is reset, without affecting the tempo and vice versa.
Tools Button: Click the tools button to flip to the settings side of Metron. The settings side provides access to the sequencer, the tuner, preferences and the about pane, with version information and basic help.
Volume: To adjust the playback volume touch the speaker button. This will bring up the system volume dialog, where you can make the desired adjustment.
Next part: The sequencer: choosing a sequence for practice or creating and editing sequences.
