Note timing in milliseconds for any tempo
| Note value | ms | Hz |
|---|
BPM (beats per minute) describes tempo as the number of quarter notes that fit in one minute. Converting to milliseconds is straightforward: divide 60,000 by the BPM to get the duration of one quarter note. At 120 BPM, a quarter note is exactly 500ms. Every other note value is a multiple or fraction of that.
This matters practically for setting delay and reverb times in a DAW. A delay plugin set to 500ms at 120 BPM will repeat exactly on the beat. A delay at 375ms (dotted eighth) creates the characteristic syncopated echo heard on countless pop and rock records — Edge's guitar sound on many U2 tracks is a famous example of tempo-synced dotted eighth delays.
The same principle applies to LFO rates, compressor attack/release times, reverb pre-delay, and any time-based parameter where you want the effect to lock to the tempo of the track.
Classical music uses Italian tempo markings rather than exact BPM numbers. These correspond to approximate BPM ranges — the exact speed within each range is left to the performer's interpretation. The presets above use these traditional names.
| Marking | Meaning | BPM range |
|---|---|---|
| Larghissimo | Extremely slow | < 24 |
| Largo | Broad, very slow | 40 – 66 |
| Adagio | Slow and stately | 66 – 76 |
| Andante | Walking pace | 76 – 108 |
| Moderato | Moderate | 108 – 120 |
| Allegro | Fast and bright | 120 – 156 |
| Vivace | Lively and fast | 156 – 176 |
| Presto | Very fast | 168 – 200 |
| Prestissimo | As fast as possible | > 200 |
| Genre | Typical BPM |
|---|---|
| Hip hop / trap | 60 – 100 (often counted in half time) |
| R&B / soul | 60 – 80 |
| Pop | 100 – 130 |
| House | 120 – 130 |
| Techno | 130 – 150 |
| Drum & bass | 160 – 180 |
| Dubstep | 138 – 142 (half time feel) |
| Reggae | 60 – 90 |
| Metal | 100 – 220 |
| Jazz | 60 – 300+ (highly variable) |
Enter a BPM or tap the tempo button to detect it from a live performance. The table shows 13 note values from whole note down to 32nd note, including dotted and triplet subdivisions, in milliseconds and Hz. Copy individual values by clicking them, or export the full table as CSV for use in your DAW or documentation.