BPM to Milliseconds Calculator
Convert a tempo in BPM to milliseconds for note delays, with the formula and a delay-time table.
Timing in milliseconds from tempo
Music producers need to know how many milliseconds a beat and its subdivisions last at a given tempo, to set delays, reverbs and other time-based effects in sync with the music. This converts a tempo in beats per minute to those millisecond values.
The formula
The length of one beat in milliseconds comes straight from the tempo, since there are sixty thousand milliseconds in a minute:
ms per beat = 60000 / BPMSo at 120 BPM, one beat lasts 60000 divided by 120, which is 500 milliseconds. From that single value, every note length follows by halving or doubling.
Delay times for every note value
Producers use these to set an effect's timing to a musical subdivision so it locks to the groove. At 120 BPM, the common note values work out to:
| Note value | Delay (ms) |
|---|---|
| Whole note | 2000 |
| Half note | 1000 |
| Quarter note (1 beat) | 500 |
| Eighth note | 250 |
| Sixteenth note | 125 |
| Dotted eighth | 375 |
Setting a delay to a note value like this is why echoes and repeats sound rhythmic and in time rather than random. The dotted eighth delay in particular is a famous trick for creating a rhythmic, syncopated echo. Getting these times right is what makes time-based effects sit in the pocket of a track instead of fighting it, so this conversion is a staple of music production — a quick way to translate a tempo into the exact millisecond values your effects need.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60000 by the tempo to get the length of one beat — at 120 BPM that is 500 milliseconds. Other note values follow by halving or doubling.
Why do producers need delay times in milliseconds?
To set delays and reverbs to a musical note value so they lock to the groove, making echoes sound rhythmic and in time rather than random.
What is the dotted eighth delay trick?
Setting a delay to a dotted eighth note creates a syncopated, rhythmic echo — a famous effect for adding movement and groove to a sound.
Is anything uploaded?
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