Music & Audio
BPM to Milliseconds
Convert BPM tempo to delay and reverb timing values in milliseconds.
When mixing music, syncing delays and reverbs to the tempo makes everything sound cohesive. Enter your BPM and instantly get the exact millisecond timing for quarter notes, eighth notes, dotted notes, and more.
Quarter Note
500 ms
- eighth
- 250 ms (8th)
- sixteenth
- 125 ms (16th)
- half
- 1000 ms (Half)
- dotted Quarter
- 750 ms (Dotted Quarter)
- dotted Eighth
- 375 ms (Dotted Eighth)
Formula and method
60,000 / BPM = Quarter Note (ms)
One minute contains 60,000 milliseconds. Dividing by BPM gives the duration of a quarter note. Eighth notes halve that value; dotted notes multiply by 1.5. Used for delay throws, reverb pre-delay, and LFO sync.
Worked examples
Hip-hop at 90 BPM
- Tempo (BPM):
- 90
Quarter Note: 667 ms
House music at 128 BPM
- Tempo (BPM):
- 128
Quarter Note: 469 ms
Assumptions and limits
- 4/4 time signature
- Straight (non-swung) grid
This tool provides an educational estimate. Rules, rates and personal circumstances can change the answer. Review the assumptions before relying on a result. Report a correction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using milliseconds when the plugin expects seconds — divide by 1000 for plugins that use seconds.
- Forgetting dotted note values — dotted eighth delays (1.5× eighth) are extremely common in pop production.
- Not accounting for swing/groove — these values assume a straight grid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common delay time for pop music?
The dotted eighth note delay is the signature pop and country sound (think U2, Taylor Swift). At 120 BPM that is 562ms. Quarter and eighth note delays are also very common.
How do I sync reverb pre-delay to tempo?
Set pre-delay to around 10-30ms of the eighth or sixteenth note value. At 120 BPM, a 31ms pre-delay (quarter of an eighth note) keeps reverb from muddying the attack while remaining rhythmically locked.
What BPM is used in most pop music?
Most commercial pop sits between 90-130 BPM. Trap and hip-hop often use 130-160 BPM halftime feels (sounds like 65-80 BPM). EDM house is typically 120-130 BPM.