5/8 Metronome

20–400 BPM, any time signature, five accent levels, subdivisions, swing, count-in, speed and gap trainers.

5/8 has five beats in each bar, and each beat is an eighth note (that is what the lower number means). In practice it is felt as two groups of uneven length (3+2). You will hear it in Balkan and Greek folk dances and progressive rock, felt as a long and a short beat (3+2).

The metronome above is set to 5/8 with the beats grouped 3+2: an accent on beat 1 and a medium accent at the start of each group. The tempo counts eighth notes, so 180 BPM is 180 eighth notes a minute. Tap any beat to change its accent.

How to count 5/8

123
45

Count every beat but stress the start of each group: 1 2 3 · 4 5. Saying the groups as words helps: “slow-ly” “quick”.

Practising in 5/8 on guitar

  • Start slowly: set the tempo where you can count out loud and play at the same time.
  • Strum down on every beat first, then fill in the off-beats once the accents feel natural.
  • Uneven meters are easier if you change chords on the group starts, not on every beat.
  • Add the drum machine for a groove in 5/8.

Common questions

How do you count 5/8?

Count every beat but stress the start of each group: 1 2 3 · 4 5. Saying the groups as words helps: “slow-ly” “quick”.

What does the 8 in 5/8 mean?

It names the note that gets one count: an eighth note. The top number, 5, is how many of them fill a bar.

What tempo should I use for 5/8?

Most music in 5/8 sits somewhere around 180 BPM (counting eighth notes); start slower while you learn the accents.

Can I change how the beats are grouped?

Yes. In Advanced, type a grouping such as 3+2+2 under Beat groups, and the accents move to match.

Learn this with a teacher
Live one-to-one guitar classes online, with a free trial.
Find a teacher

Other time signatures

2/4 time3/4 time4/4 time5/4 time7/4 time6/8 time7/8 time9/8 time12/8 time
60 BPM Metronome80 BPM Metronome100 BPM Metronome120 BPM Metronome

Timing tools

Metronome
20–400 BPM, any time signature, five accent levels, subdivisions, swing, count-in, speed and gap trainers.
Drum machine & groove loops
70 grooves from rock and funk to Bollywood dholak and tabla thekas, with fills, swing and an editable pattern grid.
Polyrhythm metronome
3 against 4, 5 against 7 or any two or three layers up to 16, each with its own sound and ring of lights.
Tap tempo & BPM finder
Tap along with any song, or just play, to find the BPM, with half and double time, note lengths in ms, and a click to check by ear.

Metronome · All free tools

HelpFree tools