BPM to Milliseconds Converter
Note lengths in milliseconds and Hz for any tempo.
One quarter note = 500.0 ms
| Note value | Milliseconds | Hz |
|---|
BPM to milliseconds — for delay and reverb programming
Every value in the table is 60 000 ÷ BPM multiplied by the note's length in quarter notes. A dotted note is one and a half times its plain value; a triplet is two thirds of it. The Hz column is simply 1000 divided by the milliseconds, which is what you need when a plugin asks for a rate rather than a time.
Do not know the tempo yet? Tap it in on the tap tempo page or detect it from the file with the BPM finder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60 000 by the tempo. At 120 BPM a quarter note is 60 000 / 120 = 500 ms, an eighth note is 250 ms and a dotted eighth is 375 ms.
Which delay time should I use for a musical echo?
Quarter-note delay sits squarely on the beat and thickens a part. Dotted eighth is the classic rhythmic delay: at 120 BPM that is 375 ms, and the repeats land between the beats. Triplet eighth, 166.7 ms at 120 BPM, gives a swung feel.
What about reverb pre-delay and decay?
The same arithmetic applies. A pre-delay of one sixteenth note keeps the reverb tail off the transient, and setting the decay close to one bar length — 2 000 ms at 120 BPM in 4/4 — makes the tail clear before the next downbeat.
BPM to ms: how to use the converter
This guide shows how to go from a tempo to a usable time value in a few seconds, and how to use the result in your plugins.
Step by step
- Type your project tempo into the BPM field. Decimals work, so 127.5 is fine.
- Find the note value you need in the table: whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, plain, dotted or triplet.
- Read the Milliseconds column if your plugin asks for a time. Read the Hz column if it asks for a rate.
- Type the number into the plugin. If the plugin only accepts whole numbers, round to the nearest one.
- Listen against the track and adjust by ear if needed.
Worked example at 130 BPM
A quarter note lasts 60 000 ÷ 130 = 461.5 ms. The other values follow from it:
| Note | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter | 60 000 ÷ 130 | 461.5 ms |
| Eighth | 461.5 ÷ 2 | 230.8 ms |
| Dotted eighth | 230.8 × 1.5 | 346.2 ms |
| Sixteenth | 461.5 ÷ 4 | 115.4 ms |
| One bar of 4/4 | 461.5 × 4 | 1 846.2 ms |
The quarter note as a rate is 130 ÷ 60 = 2.17 Hz, so an eighth note is 4.33 Hz.
Practical uses
- Delay on vocals: set the delay to a dotted eighth, then lower the feedback until the repeats fade before the next phrase.
- Compressor release: try a release near a sixteenth note, such as 115 ms at 130 BPM, so the gain recovers before the next hit.
- Tremolo, auto-pan and LFOs: use the Hz column when the control is a rate. It replaces guessing.
- Gates and choppers: use eighth or sixteenth lengths to keep the rhythm tight.
- Live sound and video edits: the millisecond values help you place a cue or a cut on the beat.
Common questions
Can I round the milliseconds?
Yes, for a single delay it makes no audible difference. Rounding 461.5 ms to 461 ms is a 0.5 ms error per repeat. After eight repeats the drift is about 4.3 ms. For long loops or very long tails, enter the decimal value if the plugin allows it.
How do I go from milliseconds back to BPM?
Reverse the formula: divide 60 000 by the time of one quarter note. A 400 ms quarter note gives 60 000 ÷ 400 = 150 BPM. If your time is for another note, first convert it to a quarter note. For example, two eighth notes make one quarter note.
Does the time signature change the result?
Only if your BPM counts something other than quarter notes. In 6/8 many songs are counted in dotted quarters. At 60 dotted-quarter BPM, a dotted quarter lasts 1 000 ms and an eighth note lasts 1 000 ÷ 3 = 333.3 ms. Check what your DAW treats as one beat, then use the matching row.