BPM to ms Calculator
Type a tempo and get the length of every note value, in milliseconds or hertz, ready to paste into a delay, reverb pre-delay, compressor release or LFO. Click any value to copy it.
Allegro · one beat = 500 ms = 2.000 Hz
| Note | straight | dotted | triplet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1Whole | |||
| 1/2Half | |||
| 1/4Quarter | |||
| 1/8Eighth | |||
| 1/16Sixteenth | |||
| 1/32Thirty-second | |||
| 1/64Sixty-fourth |
- 160.00 BPM as a quarter note
- 80.00 BPM as an eighth note
- 120.00 BPM as a dotted eighth
The formula
One beat is a quarter note, and one minute is 60,000 milliseconds, so:
- Quarter note (ms) = 60,000 ÷ BPM
- Dotted note = straight note × 1.5
- Triplet note = straight note × 2/3
- Rate (Hz) = 1,000 ÷ note length (ms)
Halve the quarter note for an eighth, halve again for a sixteenth, and double it for a half note.
BPM to ms chart
Common tempos, in milliseconds:
| BPM | 1/4 | 1/8 | 1/8 dotted | 1/8 triplet | 1/16 | 1 bar (4/4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 1000 | 500 | 750 | 333.33 | 250 | 4000 |
| 70 | 857.14 | 428.57 | 642.86 | 285.71 | 214.29 | 3428.57 |
| 80 | 750 | 375 | 562.5 | 250 | 187.5 | 3000 |
| 90 | 666.67 | 333.33 | 500 | 222.22 | 166.67 | 2666.67 |
| 100 | 600 | 300 | 450 | 200 | 150 | 2400 |
| 110 | 545.45 | 272.73 | 409.09 | 181.82 | 136.36 | 2181.82 |
| 120 | 500 | 250 | 375 | 166.67 | 125 | 2000 |
| 124 | 483.87 | 241.94 | 362.9 | 161.29 | 120.97 | 1935.48 |
| 128 | 468.75 | 234.38 | 351.56 | 156.25 | 117.19 | 1875 |
| 130 | 461.54 | 230.77 | 346.15 | 153.85 | 115.38 | 1846.15 |
| 140 | 428.57 | 214.29 | 321.43 | 142.86 | 107.14 | 1714.29 |
| 150 | 400 | 200 | 300 | 133.33 | 100 | 1600 |
| 160 | 375 | 187.5 | 281.25 | 125 | 93.75 | 1500 |
| 170 | 352.94 | 176.47 | 264.71 | 117.65 | 88.24 | 1411.76 |
| 174 | 344.83 | 172.41 | 258.62 | 114.94 | 86.21 | 1379.31 |
| 180 | 333.33 | 166.67 | 250 | 111.11 | 83.33 | 1333.33 |
Don't know the tempo? Tap it, or let the BPM Analyzer detect it from the track itself.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60,000 by the BPM. The result is the length of one quarter note in milliseconds. At 120 BPM a quarter note lasts 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500 ms, an eighth note 250 ms and a sixteenth note 125 ms.
How do I calculate a dotted or triplet delay time?
Multiply the straight note value by 1.5 for a dotted note, or by 2/3 for a triplet. At 120 BPM a straight eighth is 250 ms, a dotted eighth 375 ms and an eighth-note triplet 166.67 ms.
What delay time should I use for a vocal?
A dotted eighth or a quarter note is the classic starting point, because the repeats land between the beats without cluttering them. At 128 BPM that is 351.56 ms dotted or 468.75 ms straight.
How do I convert milliseconds back to BPM?
Divide 60,000 by the milliseconds, assuming the time is one quarter note. A 400 ms quarter note is 150 BPM. Type the delay time into the calculator to see it as a quarter, an eighth and a dotted eighth.
Why show hertz?
Hertz is the rate of an LFO, such as a tremolo or an auto-pan, that cycles once per note. It is 1,000 divided by the note length in milliseconds, so a 500 ms quarter note is 2 Hz.