BPM/Tempo Calculator
Convert tempo to milliseconds, samples, and note subdivisions
🎛️ Delay & Reverb (ms/beat)
The most common use! Paste ms values directly into your delay plugin for tempo-synced echoes. Use quarter notes for standard rhythmic delays, eighth notes for faster rhythms, or dotted notes for that iconic U2/Edge sound. For reverb, try setting pre-delay to 1/16 or 1/32 to keep transients clear while the tail blooms in time.
🔄 Triplets — The Secret Sauce
Triplet delays create swing and groove that straight delays can't match. Set one delay to quarter note and another to quarter triplet for depth. This is a go-to technique in hip-hop, lo-fi, and dub production.
📈 Beats Per Second (BPS)
Perfect for automation and LFO rates. Many synth LFOs are calibrated in Hz — BPS gives you that number directly. At 120 BPM, your beat is 2 Hz, so an LFO at 2 Hz pulses exactly on each beat. Half that (1 Hz) for half notes, double it (4 Hz) for eighth notes.
🎬 Samples Per Beat
Essential for precise DAW editing. When you need to nudge audio by exact beat divisions, this tells you the sample count. Also useful for calculating buffer sizes and latency compensation — knowing your samples-per-beat helps you set lookahead times that align with the groove.
🎼 Note Subdivisions
Beyond delays: use these for sidechain timing, gate release times, compressor attack/release, and trance gates. A 1/16 note gate with a 1/32 release creates pumping energy. A whole note release on a compressor creates smooth, musical dynamics.
📐 The Formula
ms = 60000 / BPM gives milliseconds per quarter note. From there, multiply or divide: ×2 for half notes, ÷2 for eighths, ×0.667 for triplets, ×1.5 for dotted.
🥁 Tap Tempo Tips
Tap at least 4 times for accuracy — the calculator averages your last 8 taps. Great for matching tempo to a song you're sampling or a video clip. Resets automatically after 2 seconds of inactivity.