How it works
Tap the pad, or press any key, along with a song. The big number is the average gap between your last eight taps, turned into beats per minute, and the line under the pad gives it to a tenth (127.6 BPM, say). Stop for two seconds and the next tap starts a fresh count, so you can measure the next song without pressing Reset.
Then play along
Send to metronome opens the Metronome set to what you tapped, rounded to a whole BPM, ready to start. Most recorded music sits on a whole number, so a reading of 127.6 usually means 128.
Questions
Why does my tap tempo jump around at first?
With two or three taps, one early or late tap moves the average a lot. Keep tapping for a few bars and it settles; only the last eight taps count, so it also follows a song that speeds up.
I got half or double the tempo I expected. Why?
Tapping on every other beat halves the number, and tapping every hi-hat instead of every kick drum can double it. Both are the same pulse; most pop and dance music lands between 90 and 130 BPM, which helps decide which one you meant.
Which keys count as a tap?
Any key except Tab, Escape, the function keys and keys like Shift and Ctrl. Holding a key down counts once, not over and over.