BPM calculator
Type a tempo to get every note length in milliseconds, delay and LFO times, and how long a song of a given number of bars will run.
One beat = 500.0 ms. Don't know the tempo? Tap it.
| Note | Straight | Dotted | Triplet | Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole note (1/1) | 2000.0 ms | 3000.0 ms | 1333.3 ms | 0.50 |
| Half note (1/2) | 1000.0 ms | 1500.0 ms | 666.7 ms | 1.00 |
| Quarter note (1/4) | 500.0 ms | 750.0 ms | 333.3 ms | 2.00 |
| 8th note (1/8) | 250.0 ms | 375.0 ms | 166.7 ms | 4.00 |
| 16th note (1/16) | 125.0 ms | 187.5 ms | 83.3 ms | 8.00 |
| 32nd note (1/32) | 62.5 ms | 93.8 ms | 41.7 ms | 16.00 |
Song length
2:08
One bar lasts 2.00 s at 120 BPM.
Milliseconds to BPM
120.00 BPM
Change a sample's tempo
Speed ×1.056 (5.6%). Without time-stretching the pitch moves +0.94 semitones.
How one bar splits into notes
A bar of 4/4 at 120 BPM lasts 2000 ms. Choose a division and see how that time is cut up. Triplets fit three notes where two straight ones would go, so they don't line up with the 16th grid.
Each block is 250.0 ms. The top ruler is the 16-step grid used by the beat maker; notice the triplet blocks drift across its lines. That in-between position is exactly what swing borrows.
Questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60,000 by the BPM to get the length of one beat (a quarter note) in ms. At 120 BPM that is 500 ms. Halve it for an 8th note (250 ms), quarter it for a 16th (125 ms).
What delay time should I use?
Set the delay to a note value at the song tempo so the echoes land in time: a quarter-note or dotted-8th delay is the classic choice. At 120 BPM a dotted 8th is 375 ms.
What is a dotted note or a triplet in ms?
A dotted note is 1.5 times the straight value; a triplet is two-thirds of it (three in the space of two). At 120 BPM an 8th note is 250 ms, a dotted 8th 375 ms and an 8th triplet 166.7 ms.
How do I work out a song length from BPM?
Length in seconds = bars × beats per bar × 60 ÷ BPM. A 64-bar song in 4/4 at 120 BPM lasts 2 minutes 8 seconds.