Delay Time Calculator (BPM to Milliseconds)
This delay time calculator turns your tempo into the matching delay time: enter the BPM, pick a note value and see the milliseconds for quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted and triplet notes at once.
Example: Tempo 120 BPM · Note value: 1/4 – quarter note · Variant: straight → Delay time: 1/4: 500 ms at 120 BPM. Source: Wikipedia – Delay (audio effect): delay time and tempo synchronization. Updated: .
How it is calculated
At 120 BPM a quarter note lasts 500 ms, an eighth note 250 ms and a dotted eighth 375 ms. The calculator converts your tempo into delay times so the echoes stay locked to the groove of your track.
How it is calculated
A quarter note lasts 60,000 ms divided by the BPM value. Every other note value follows from it: an eighth is half as long, a sixteenth a quarter. Dotted notes are one and a half times as long, triplets two thirds of the straight length. The calculator also shows the repeat rate in Hz, which is useful for LFO speeds and other tempo-synced effects.
Which delay time fits?
- Quarter: calm, clear echoes that stress every beat.
- Eighth: the standard choice for guitar, vocals and synths.
- Dotted eighth: the bouncing echo that turns a simple riff into a rhythmic pattern.
- Triplet: a rolling, swung feel.
Not sure about the tempo of your song? Find it by tapping with the BPM tapper. More music tools: the metronome, the tuner and the circle of fifths.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60,000 by the BPM value. The result is the length of a quarter note in ms, for example 60,000 ÷ 100 = 600 ms. Eighths, sixteenths and the rest are derived from it.
What is the delay time at 120 BPM?
Quarter 500 ms, eighth 250 ms, sixteenth 125 ms, dotted eighth 375 ms and eighth-note triplet about 167 ms.
What does dotted mean for a delay?
The note is half as long again, so the factor is 1.5. A dotted eighth lasts as long as three sixteenths and gives the typical bouncing echo.
Why should the delay match the tempo?
An echo on the note grid blends into the rhythm and does not disturb the groove. A free value creates echoes that run against the beat.
Sources and legal basis
- Wikipedia – Delay (audio effect): delay time and tempo synchronization
- Wikipedia – Tempo: beats per minute (BPM) and note values
As of: · Editorial policy
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