The ramp, explained

Set four numbers — where to start, where to finish, how big each step is, and how many bars each step lasts — then press Start training. The click counts complete bars at each tempo and bumps the BPM for you, so your hands never leave the instrument. The status line shows the current tempo, how many bars you’ve held it, and when the next increase lands; reaching the target either holds the click there or ends the run, your choice.

A session that works

1. Find your clean tempo first — run the passage on the main metronome until it’s flawless three times through.
2. Set Start there and Target at your goal. Use a step of 2–5 BPM and every 4 bars.
3. Play the whole climb. If a step falls apart, stop, drop a few BPM below the breaking point, and restart — don’t push through sloppy reps.
4. Leave “stop at target” off unless you want a hard finish; holding at the target for a couple of minutes is where the new speed actually consolidates.

When not to ramp

The trainer accelerates consolidation, not learning. While you’re still decoding notes, fingerings or stickings, hold a fixed slow tempo on the metronome — adding a moving target to unstable mechanics just practises the wobble. Ramp once the passage runs clean three times through. The same logic applies to step count: if you find yourself surviving each step rather than owning it, shorten the session and re-run a narrower range — five clean steps beat fifteen ragged ones, and tomorrow’s floor tempo is set by where you were accurate, not where you survived.

If the passage won’t go past a ceiling no matter the ramp, the practice guide covers the usual culprits — and subdivision work on the main metronome is often the fix.

Frequently asked questions

How does the automatic speed-up work?

The click starts at your Start BPM. Every time Every N bars bars complete (counted from the accented downbeats), the tempo steps up by your Step amount — hands-free, mid-phrase. When the click reaches Target BPM it either holds there or stops outright, depending on the checkbox.

What step size should I use?

Small enough that you don't feel the jump: 2–4 BPM is the classic prescription for long exercises, up to 5–8 for short passages you already nearly own. If a step breaks your accuracy, the step was too big — halve it and pass the tempo cleanly before moving on.

Why practice this way instead of just setting the goal tempo?

Because errors compound under speed. Playing a passage correctly at 70 BPM and stepping up teaches the motion that will survive at 140; blasting at 140 first teaches the fudged version. The ramp also spreads the work: each step is a small, winnable rep instead of one demoralizing leap.

Can it slow down instead of speeding up?

Yes — set a target below the start and each step descends. Downward ramps are useful for endurance work and for finding the relaxed floor tempo of a passage you can only play tense.

What's a good 'every N bars' setting?

Four bars gives each tempo a full phrase to stabilize — the default for a reason. Use 2 for short loops you're already confident in, 8–16 for long-form stamina checks like a full etude section.