Decide whether you want an up-tempo, mid-tempo or down-tempo song. A standard mid-tempo song falls at 120 BPM, so an up-tempo song will play at a faster tempo (such as 140 BPM), and a down-tempo song will play at a slower tempo.
Select a starting tempo for the metronome. You can use an electronic hand-held metronome, or even a free online metronome that ticks to keep time with a desired beat. For a mid-tempo song, you might start at 120 beats per minute, for a slow jam you might start at 80 or 90 BPM; for an up-tempo song try 140 or 150 BPM, or higher.
Play your primary instrument or begin singing along with the metronome beat. If the metronome seems too fast or slow for your desired pace, adjust the BPM on the metronome until it begins ticking at just the right speed to match the beat of the song.
Decide whether you want an up-tempo, mid-tempo or down-tempo song. A standard mid-tempo song has 120 BPM, so a higher BPM will give you a faster tempo, such as 140 BPM. A down-tempo song will play at a slower tempo, such as 90 BPM.
Open a music recording program and choose a starting tempo, such as one of the suggestions above. You can change the tempo momentarily. When you create a new music project, most programs will ask you to select a tempo during the initial setup phase. If you do not receive such a prompt, you can find the BPM or tempo box (usually filled in with the number 120) along the top or bottom of your project window.
Import a basic drum loop, which is a prerecorded music sample, or turn on a metronome feature. If the program includes a library of loops, find a simple drum loop and drag it onto the main project window. Otherwise you can find free drum loops from sites like Looperman or Free Loops, and drag the audio file directly onto the project window.
Listen to your drum loop or metronome. Begin playing your preferred instrument or sing along with the beat. If you feel that the pace fits your song, you can leave the tempo alone. If it feels too fast or too slow, click the BPM box and drag the tempo to a faster or slower pace until it matches up.