Tempo Converter
Convert BPM to Italian tempo markings — Largo through Presto — and to note duration in milliseconds for delay and reverb pedal settings.
BPM (Beats Per Minute) to millisecond conversion is essential for music producers, sound designers, and live performers who need to sync delay effects, LFO rates, reverb pre-delays, and sequencer steps precisely to the tempo of a track.
Core conversion formula: Milliseconds per beat (quarter note) = 60,000 ÷ BPM
Derivation: 1 minute = 60 seconds = 60,000 milliseconds. At 120 BPM, each beat lasts 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500ms.
Note subdivisions from quarter note (one beat):
| Note Value | Multiplier | Formula | At 120 BPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole note (4 beats) | ×4 | (60,000 ÷ BPM) × 4 | 2,000 ms |
| Half note (2 beats) | ×2 | (60,000 ÷ BPM) × 2 | 1,000 ms |
| Quarter note (1 beat) | ×1 | 60,000 ÷ BPM | 500 ms |
| 8th note | ×0.5 | 30,000 ÷ BPM | 250 ms |
| 16th note | ×0.25 | 15,000 ÷ BPM | 125 ms |
| 32nd note | ×0.125 | 7,500 ÷ BPM | 62.5 ms |
Dotted note values (note × 1.5):
- Dotted quarter = 90,000 ÷ BPM (at 120 BPM: 750 ms)
- Dotted 8th = 45,000 ÷ BPM (at 120 BPM: 375 ms)
Triplet note values (note × 2/3):
- Quarter note triplet = 40,000 ÷ BPM (at 120 BPM: 333.3 ms)
- 8th note triplet = 20,000 ÷ BPM (at 120 BPM: 166.7 ms)
Practical applications:
Delay effect sync: A slapback delay uses a very short delay (60–120 ms); rhythmic delays use 8th or quarter note values. Setting your delay to match the BPM keeps it “in the pocket” musically.
LFO rate sync (in Hz): LFO Hz = BPM ÷ 60 ÷ Beats per LFO Cycle At 120 BPM, a 4-beat LFO cycle: 120 ÷ 60 ÷ 4 = 0.5 Hz
Pre-delay on reverb: Set reverb pre-delay to 16th note time (15,000 ÷ BPM ms) to create a clean separation between the dry signal and the reverb tail — especially useful for vocals.
Worked example: Track tempo: 98 BPM. You want to program a dotted 8th note delay for your lead guitar.
- Quarter note: 60,000 ÷ 98 = 612.2 ms
- 8th note: 612.2 ÷ 2 = 306.1 ms
- Dotted 8th: 306.1 × 1.5 = 459.2 ms
Enter 459 ms as your delay time. If your delay plugin has BPM sync, select “dotted 8th” and it will calculate automatically.