It is not meant to replace practice on your instrument. It measures your timing so you can spot habits, and its games make timing, coordination and rhythm memory worth repeating.
Why TempoLock exists
Most metronomes answer one question: “what tempo is this?” They do not tell you whether you are repeatedly early, gradually speeding up, drifting during silence or keeping the pulse while attention is split between timing and another task.
TempoLock turns those situations into small challenges. Timing Trials build accuracy through levels. The 16 Beat Challenge removes the click and measures the end of a long silent interval. Tempo Aim adds visual search and coordination. Echo Chain adds rhythm memory. Timing Lab turns rudiments, accents, polyrhythms and odd meters into short games. Practice Mode removes the score pressure and gives you a repeatable timing workspace.
Built around how musicians practise
The app uses musician-style count-ins, BPM, meters, subdivisions, polyrhythms and tempo ramps rather than abstract “speed levels”. The tools are meant to connect directly to practice you might already do with an instrument.
Scores make progress visible, but TempoLock also shows timing error, misses and aim or memory quality separately, because one big number would hide them.
Timing and device latency
Millisecond scoring is only useful when the software takes the output route seriously. Browsers, speakers, Bluetooth headphones and input devices can introduce repeatable delay. TempoLock keeps an automatic timing model active and also provides optional Audio Output and Tap Input calibration for device-specific offsets.
The two calibration controls are separate because moving the scheduled audio is not the same as changing the timestamp used to score a tap. The audio latency guide explains the difference.
Built independently
TempoLock is operated by Michael Eddy as an independent project. Each mode has been played, measured and rebuilt many times on desktop and mobile browsers.
If something behaves strangely on your device, use Report a problem inside TempoLock or email support@tempolock.app. Device-specific timing reports are particularly useful because browser audio behaviour can vary.
What is next
The modes, calibration, progression, achievements, leaderboards and musician tools keep being refined as people use them and report what helps and what gets in the way.
Want to understand the results?
Start with the Learn guides on timing, latency, metronome practice and scoring.
Browse Learn →