BPM to Milliseconds Calculator
Convert BPM to delay times in milliseconds. Whole, half, quarter, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 notes plus dotted and triplet variants. Free tempo-sync calculator for producers.
What this does
Converts BPM to delay/LFO times in milliseconds for every common note value — whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second — plus dotted and triplet variants of each. Plus the equivalent frequency in Hz, useful for tempo-syncing LFOs that take Hz instead of ms.
The math is simple: a quarter note at 120 BPM is 500 ms (60000 / 120). Half = 1000 ms, eighth = 250 ms, and so on. Dotted notes are 1.5× the base; triplets are 2/3× the base. The tool just runs all the variants for you so you stop reaching for a calculator mid-mix.
Why this is faster than your DAW’s built-in sync
Most DAW delays let you choose tempo-sync values like “1/8” or “1/4 dotted” — but if you’re using an outboard pedal, a hardware unit without MIDI clock, or a plugin that only accepts ms, you need the literal millisecond value. That’s where this comes in.
Also useful for:
- Reverb predelay — set predelay to a 1/16 or 1/32 note for a sound that “breathes with the track” rather than washing through.
- Compressor release — set release to match an 1/8 note so the comp releases between transients without pumping.
- Vibrato/tremolo LFO rate — convert ms to Hz (
1000 / ms) and dial that into hardware that takes Hz. - Sidechain ducking attack/release — match the kick subdivision so the duck “feels” with the beat.
Genres and BPM ranges (rough)
| Genre | Typical BPM |
|---|---|
| Hip-hop, trap | 70-100 |
| Pop, indie | 100-128 |
| House, tech-house | 120-130 |
| Techno | 130-150 |
| Dubstep, half-time | 140-150 (felt as 70-75) |
| Drum & Bass | 170-180 |
| Hardstyle | 150-160 |
| Ballads, ambient | 60-90 |
Common producer mistakes this tool prevents
- Using straight 1/8 delay on a swing track. Use 1/8 triplet for triplet/swing feels. The tool shows both side by side.
- Setting reverb predelay to 100 ms regardless of tempo. Predelay should sync to the beat — 1/32 at 120 BPM is 62.5 ms, which sounds completely different than 100 ms.
- The “U2 edge” trick. Dotted 1/8 delay creates the cascading-sixteenth feel because each repeat lands on the off-beat sixteenth. The tool shows this as a quick preset above.
- Quarter-note hi-hat ping-pong delay. If your hats are 1/16, a 1/4 delay will pile up four hats per beat and turn the groove into mush. Match the source material’s subdivision.
Privacy
The tool runs entirely in your browser. Numbers stay on your machine.