It stores 30 programs, each with its own beat, sound, and tempo.
Best Metronomes for Drummers: Clicks, Connections and Memory
If your drum module or phone app already gives you a click you can hear clearly and a tempo you can change without stopping, you may not need another box. If you do want a dedicated metronome, the choice comes down to how you practice and what you need to plug in. The TAMA RW200 suits stored tempos and a manual eight-bar count-in. The BOSS DB-90 is for Rhythm Coach feedback or MIDI clock sync. The TAMA RW30 clips on with a backlit display, and the Korg MA-2 adds a timer and folding stand. None is a universal winner; the ports matter as much as the specs.
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Find the click you need.
Choose between stored programs, coach feedback, a clip-on display and timed tabletop practice.
It has four metronome voices including a human voice count, and Note Mixing lets you balance five note-value levels.
It has a built-in rear clip and a backlit LCD.
When the timer ends, the alarm sounds and the metronome stops.
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| Model | Why consider it | Port or limitation to know |
|---|---|---|
| TAMA RW200 | 30 stored programs and an eight-bar Stage Mode count-in | LINE output is quarter-inch mono and mutes the speaker and phones when used |
| BOSS DB-90 | Rhythm Coach modes and MIDI IN for external clock sync | M8 nut is not a full mount; adapter and footswitch are separate |
| TAMA RW30 | Backlit clip-on, 90g with batteries | Settings reset if batteries are removed or run out |
| Korg MA-2 | Folding stand and a 1–120 minute timer | Battery replacement resets last settings |
TAMA RW200
The TAMA RW200 is the most practical pick when you practice specific songs or exercises and want the click to match each one. It stores 30 programs, each with its own beat, sound, and tempo. Those programs are retained without power, so you don’t lose your saved settings when you swap the 9V battery or turn the unit off. The tempo range runs from 30 to 250 BPM, and you get independent note-level controls for the rhythm and beat balance, plus a master volume.
The backlit LCD shows the program number, tempo, beat, and sound at a glance. That’s useful when you glance away from your kit between fills.
Practice Mode gives you a continuous click: set the tempo, set the beat, and play. Our practice pad guide covers models that pair naturally with click work.
Stage Mode plays exactly eight bars, then stops, advances to the next program, and waits for you to press start again. That’s a deliberate design for live count-ins or stepping through a set list manually. It is not an automatic full-song tempo map, and it won’t run your whole show. If you want the click to keep going while you play, stay in Practice Mode.
The ports deserve close attention. The PHONES jack is a 3.5mm stereo mini for headphones; plugging in mutes the built-in speaker, which is what you want for quiet practice. The LINE output is a quarter-inch mono jack, not a headphone output. Inserting a cable into LINE mutes both the built-in speaker and the PHONES output. If you route the click through LINE to an amp or monitor, the local headphone and speaker audio are already stopped, so you need an external monitoring path.
The standard box includes a 9V battery, a soft case, and the instruction manual. If you plan to run it from wall power, use a DC 9V adapter that matches TAMA’s specifications: the manual calls for center-negative polarity, and the product page lists 200mA. Don’t grab just any 9V plug. A remote footswitch, stand holder, and clamp are separate purchases. The M6 mounting nut works with TAMA’s appropriate holder attachment and MultiClamp, but that does not mean every stand will fit.
Shopping note: Amazon listings can change. Before you check out, confirm the model shown is actually the RW200, review what’s in the package, and check the seller, total delivered price, and return terms.
BOSS DB-90
The BOSS DB-90 makes sense when you want more than a steady click. It stores 50 metronome memories plus 10 separate reference-tone memories. The tempo range is 30 to 250 BPM. It has four metronome voices including a human voice count, and Note Mixing lets you balance five note-value levels. There are 30 PCM drum patterns if you want a rhythmic context instead of a bare click.
The Rhythm Coach is the main reason to choose the DB-90 if you want structured timing feedback. It has four modes: Time Check, Quiet Count, Gradual Up/Down, and Step Up/Down. These use the internal microphone for acoustic detection, or a compatible optional Roland V-Pad trigger. That gives you a training mode with built-in feedback; it is not a promise that your timing will get tighter overnight.
The MIDI IN port receives clock from an external sequencer. That’s a control input for tempo sync, not an audio socket. Use the PHONES jacks for audio.
There are two headphone outputs: a 6.35mm stereo jack and a 3.5mm stereo mini. The LCD is backlit. Power comes from a 9V battery, and the standard accessories include the battery, a soft case, the manual, and an M8 boss nut. The nut alone is not a mounting kit. A PSA series adapter, footswitch, V-Pad, and clamp are separate purchases.
TAMA RW30
The TAMA RW30 is the clip-on option that weighs 90g including two AAA batteries. It has a built-in rear clip and a backlit LCD. The backlight stays on for about 10 seconds after you operate a control.
Tempo runs from 30 to 250 BPM with beats from 0 to 9. You get six rhythm choices and two sound voices: TYPE 1 and TYPE 2. There’s a TEMPO dial and a side volume for overall level, plus a TAP button for tempo entry. That’s it for level control; unlike the RW200, there are no independent note-volume knobs on the RW30. If you need to balance the click against itself, the RW200 is the step up.
The PHONES jack is a 3.5mm stereo mini, and plugging in mutes the speaker. The RW30 runs only on two AAAs, and the manual does not show a dedicated line output or adapter input. Audio out is the PHONES jack. Check that it actually sits securely on your stand before you trust it through a session.
One memory distinction: the RW30 keeps your current settings while batteries have power. Remove the batteries or let them run out, and the settings reset to factory defaults. That’s not the same as numbered programs or setlist memory. If you need to store 30 tempos for different songs, that’s the RW200, not this one.
Korg MA-2
The Korg MA-2 is the current model, not the older MA-1, and the exact black/red version is the MA-2-BKRD. It weighs 68g including two AAAs. The biggest practical difference from the RW30 is how it sits: the MA-2 has a folding tabletop stand instead of a clip, plus a timer mode from 1 to 120 minutes in one-minute increments. When the timer ends, the alarm sounds and the metronome stops.
Tempo runs 30 to 252 BPM with beats from 0 to 9 and eight rhythm patterns. You can set tempo by tapping, pendulum steps, or full step. The headphone jack is a 3.5mm stereo mini. There’s a Sound Out reference tone from C4 to B4, but that’s a tuning guide; it is not an automatic drum tuner and it doesn’t measure pitch through a microphone.
The timer is the reason this shows up for pad work. If you’re doing timed exercises on a practice pad, set the minutes and let the click end when the session does.
Two things to check before buying. The MA-2 requires two AAA batteries; the official Korg specs don’t confirm included batteries from the product page, so check the actual package on the listing you’re buying. The last-settings backup holds your tempo, beat, rhythm, and reference calibration when you power off, but battery replacement resets those. That’s not multisong memory. Don’t expect 30 stored programs here.
Connecting the click: PHONES, LINE, and MIDI
Plug headphones into the PHONES jack. Don’t choose a metronome by jack diameter alone: the RW200 and RW30 use a 3.5mm stereo mini, and the DB-90 adds a 6.35mm stereo jack. For the RW200’s quarter-inch mono LINE output, check both manuals for correct levels, pinout, cable, and included accessories before connecting an amp, powered monitor, or module AUX input. There is no universal plug-any-module guarantee. Inserting LINE stops the RW200’s own speaker and PHONES output, so you need an external monitoring path. The DB-90’s MIDI IN is for clock and control sync, not audio.
If you’re choosing headphones specifically to monitor both your playing and the click, our wired monitor guide for electronic drums covers models that make practical sense in a practice room.
| Model | Standard accessories | Ports to know | Connection note |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAMA RW200 | 9V battery, soft case, manual | 3.5mm stereo PHONES; ¼” mono LINE | LINE mutes speaker and PHONES when inserted |
| BOSS DB-90 | 9V battery, soft case, manual, M8 nut | 6.35mm and 3.5mm stereo PHONES; MIDI IN | MIDI IN is control sync, not audio |
| TAMA RW30 | Two AAAs, manual | 3.5mm stereo PHONES | No dedicated line output or adapter input shown |
| Korg MA-2 | Batteries required; package check | 3.5mm stereo PHONES | Folding tabletop stand |
A practice log that fits the device
Metronome work is most useful when you can return to the exact tempo and subdivision you used last time. This table is a simple place to record what you actually played.
| Exercise | Date | Tempo (BPM) | Subdivision | Note to revisit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Write down the exercise, date, tempo, subdivision (quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets, sixteenths), and one note for next session — a part that rushed, a fill that dragged, or a tempo that felt comfortable to hold. The next session’s BPM is your call, or your teacher’s. The log just keeps you from starting over from memory.
Before you start a session
Run through the same short check every time, whether you’re on a pad, a module, or an acoustic kit:
- Read the manual for your specific model.
- Set the beat, subdivision, and tempo before you start playing.
- Decide how you want memory to behave: current-settings retention on the MA-2 and RW30, or numbered programs on the RW200.
- Check power and placement: battery type, backlight needs, clip or stand stability.
- Verify the click path before the session. Headphones in PHONES? Speaker? LINE to an external monitor? MIDI clock sync? If LINE is active, confirm you can actually hear it through the monitoring path.
The distinction between saved current settings, numbered programs, and automated song tempo changes is easy to blur in a product description. The RW30 and MA-2 remember where you were. The RW200 stores 30 programs you can step through manually.
The case for not buying one
If your drum module already has a metronome that you can hear clearly over your playing and its routing into your headphones works, keep using it. The same goes for a phone app you already trust, as long as you’re not spending half your practice session unlocking the screen. The reason to buy a physical metronome is not to replace a working click. It’s to get something specific: an eight-bar count-in without a touchscreen, a coach mode with feedback, a clip-on display, or a timer that ends your pad session in one step.
If none of those problems matches your practice, a new metronome is another box, not a fix.
Research method and limits
Product facts were checked on October 20, 2026 against current official manufacturer pages and, for the two TAMA models, the RW200 and RW30 manuals. We did not run independent accuracy, volume, battery-life, drop, durability, or practice-improvement tests. Manufacturer battery estimates were omitted rather than repeated.