BPM to Delay Calculator
Delay and reverb times in ms for every note value at any tempo, with tap tempo.
About this tool
Enter the tempo or tap the button in time with the music. The table lists every note value from a whole note to a 1/64 note as straight, dotted and triplet delay times in milliseconds, plus the matching rate in hertz. Below are starting points for reverb pre-delay and decay, and the length of one bar.
How to sync effects to tempo
Delays, echoes, tremolo, auto-pan, LFO modulation and even compressor release times sound tighter when they follow the song's tempo. The maths is simple: one beat, a quarter note in 4/4, lasts 60,000 รท BPM milliseconds, so 500 ms at 120 BPM. Each shorter note value halves the time: an eighth note is 250 ms and a sixteenth 125 ms at that tempo. A dotted note is 1.5 times as long, so a dotted eighth at 120 BPM is 375 ms, the rhythmic delay heard on countless guitar parts. A triplet is two-thirds as long, so an eighth-note triplet is about 166.67 ms. For modulation effects, the rate in hertz is 1,000 divided by the time in milliseconds. For reverb, a short pre-delay of a 1/64 or 1/128 note separates the dry sound from the reverb, and a decay of around a half note to a bar keeps the tail from smearing into the next phrase. Tap tempo averages the gaps between your last few taps, which is handy for finding the tempo of a recording. Honest limits: these are exact mathematical values; many plug-ins have their own sync options, and your ear may prefer slightly shorter or longer settings. The BPM counter, the metronome and the audio echo tool are related.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60,000 by the BPM for one beat (a quarter note): 60,000 รท 120 = 500 ms.
What is a dotted eighth delay at 120 BPM?
375 ms: an eighth note (250 ms) ร 1.5.
How long is a triplet?
Two-thirds of the straight note: an eighth-note triplet at 120 BPM is about 166.67 ms.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.