diff -u globals.h globals.h.patched
--- globals.h 2003-07-02 09:20:18.000000000 +0200
+++ globals.h.patched 2003-08-20 20:04:58.000000000 +0200
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 
 #define TITLE "GTick"
 
+#define MAX_FREQ 251.0
+#define MIN_FREQ 30.0
+
 /* GNU gettext introduction */
 #include <locale.h>
 #include "gettext.h"
diff -u gtick.c gtick.c.patched
--- gtick.c 2003-07-27 10:25:58.000000000 +0200
+++ gtick.c.patched 2003-08-20 23:13:44.000000000 +0200
@@ -28,9 +28,12 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
+#include <sys/time.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 /* GTK+ headers */
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>
+#include <gdk/gdkkeysyms.h>
 
 /* own headers */
 #include "../config.h"
@@ -45,6 +48,12 @@
 #include "icon48x48.xpm"
 #include "icon64x64.xpm"
 
+/* hit timing stuff */
+#define TIMING_KEY GDK_Shift_L
+
+static struct timeval last_time;
+static int catching = 0;
+
 metro_t* metro;
 int debug;
 
@@ -141,6 +150,67 @@
     g_print("new meter: %d\n", metro->meter);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Key hit timing. The time between first and second TIMING_KEY hit
+ * gets set as the metro period.
+ */
+void keypress_handler (GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventKey *event) {
+
+	gchar *message[100];
+	struct timeval current_time;
+	long delta_usec;
+
+	if (event->keyval != TIMING_KEY) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (gettimeofday(&current_time, NULL) != 0) {
+		printf("hit timing: gettimeofday() failed, errno %d\n", errno);
+	}
+	
+	guint context_id = gtk_statusbar_get_context_id(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), "hit timing text");
+	
+	if (! catching) {
+		last_time.tv_sec = current_time.tv_sec;
+		last_time.tv_usec = current_time.tv_usec;
+		gtk_statusbar_push(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), context_id, _("Hit timing: waiting for second keypress."));
+		if (metro->ticking) { gtOnOff(widget, metro); }
+		catching = 1;
+		return;
+	}
+
+	long delta_sec = current_time.tv_sec - last_time.tv_sec;
+	
+	if (current_time.tv_usec > last_time.tv_usec) {
+		delta_usec = current_time.tv_usec - last_time.tv_usec;
+	} else {
+		delta_usec = 1000000 - last_time.tv_usec + current_time.tv_usec;
+		delta_sec--;
+	}
+	
+	long delta_total = (delta_sec*1000000 + delta_usec) / 1000;
+	long period = (1000 / (float) delta_total) * 60;
+	
+	if ((period > MAX_FREQ) || (period < MIN_FREQ)) {
+		snprintf((char *) message, sizeof(message), _("Hit timing: %ld BPM is out of range (%0.2f--%0.2f)."), period, MIN_FREQ, MAX_FREQ);
+		gtk_statusbar_push(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), context_id, (const char *) message);
+		catching = 0;
+		return;
+	}
+	
+	snprintf((char *) message, sizeof(message), _("Hit timing: set to %ld milisec (%ld BPM)."), delta_total, period);
+	gtk_statusbar_push(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), context_id, (const char *) message);
+
+	metro->period = delta_total;
+	GTK_ADJUSTMENT(metro->adjustment)->value = period;
+	
+	last_time.tv_sec = current_time.tv_sec;
+	last_time.tv_usec = current_time.tv_usec;
+
+	catching = 0;
+	gtOnOff(widget, metro);
+}
+
 void gtInit(metro_t *metro)
 {
   GtkObject* adjustment;
@@ -149,6 +219,10 @@
   metro->ticking = FALSE; /* set default */
   
   metro->window = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
+  
+  gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT (metro->window), "key_press_event",
+		     GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC (keypress_handler),
+		     &metro->window);
 
   gtk_signal_connect(GTK_OBJECT(metro->window), "destroy",
 		     GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC (gtQuit),
@@ -187,7 +261,7 @@
   gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (metro->box2), metro->label, TRUE, TRUE, 0);
   gtk_widget_show (metro->label);
 
-  metro->adjustment = gtk_adjustment_new (75.0, 30.0, 251.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+  metro->adjustment = gtk_adjustment_new (75.0, MIN_FREQ, MAX_FREQ, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
   gtk_signal_connect (GTK_OBJECT (metro->adjustment), "value_changed",
 				  GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC (gtUpdateRate),
 				  (metro_t *)metro);
@@ -342,6 +416,14 @@
   gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (metro->box2), metro->button, TRUE,TRUE,0);
   gtk_widget_show (metro->button);
 
+  metro->statusbar = gtk_statusbar_new();
+  gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (metro->box1), metro->statusbar);
+  gtk_statusbar_set_has_resize_grip (GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), FALSE);
+  guint context_id = gtk_statusbar_get_context_id(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), "hit timing text");
+  gtk_statusbar_push(GTK_STATUSBAR (metro->statusbar), context_id, _("Hit left shift twice to set timing."));
+
+  gtk_widget_show (metro->statusbar);
+  
   gtk_widget_show (metro->window);
 
 /*-----------*/
diff -u metro.h metro.h.patched
--- metro.h 2003-07-27 18:03:50.000000000 +0200
+++ metro.h.patched 2003-08-20 22:43:37.000000000 +0200
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 typedef struct metro_t {
   GtkWidget *window;
+  GtkWidget *statusbar;
   GtkWidget *box1;
   GtkWidget *box2;
   GtkWidget *box3;