METHOD / BPM TIMING

The math behind the grid.

Calculated note lengths. Explicit assumptions. No audio analysis.

One beat means a quarter note

BPM in this calculator means quarter notes per minute. One minute has 60,000 milliseconds, so a quarter note lasts 60,000 ÷ BPM. The note denominator tells us how much of a whole note to use.

The multiplier is 1 for straight notes, 1.5 for dotted notes and 2/3 for triplets. Triplets fit three notes in the time normally occupied by two of the same written value.

Two useful examples

• 120 BPM, dotted eighth: 60,000 ÷ 120 × 4/8 × 1.5 = 375 ms, or 2.666… Hz.
• 128 BPM, straight quarter: 60,000 ÷ 128 = 468.75 ms, or 2.133… Hz. The dotted eighth at that tempo is 351.5625 ms.

Reverse conversion has more than one answer

A 375 ms interval is 160 BPM if it is a straight quarter, 80 BPM if it is a straight eighth and 120 BPM if it is a dotted eighth. Choose that assumption explicitly. The reverse controls are independent of the grid until you press “Use in grid.” That action applies both the inferred tempo and your selected note.

Precision and limits

The grid accepts 1–999 BPM, including decimals. Reverse input accepts 0.001–1,000,000,000 ms; inferred tempos outside 1–999 BPM can be read and copied but cannot be applied to the grid. Empty, negative and nonnumeric entries clear the relevant result rather than retaining an old answer.

Calculations use JavaScript floating-point numbers. Main results round to three decimal places; supporting details use up to six. Copied values normally round to six decimal places. For values below 0.001, copying keeps seven significant digits instead, so very small tempos do not lose precision. Trailing zeroes are omitted, and very small values may use scientific notation (for example, 2.5e-7 means 0.00000025). Copy sends a number without units so it is easier to paste into a parameter field. Your device may accept less precision.

Use the result in context

Hz here is a rhythmic repetition rate, not audio pitch. Meter does not change the duration of a particular note at a fixed quarter-note BPM. For a dotted-quarter tempo marking of 80 in 6/8, use 120 quarter-note BPM. Swing, tempo ramps, plug-in latency and groove offsets are not modeled.

A calculated duration can be a starting point for reverb pre-delay or decay settings; it is not a measurement or recommendation for a room’s actual reverberation. Use your ears and your plug-in’s documented units.

Sources & verification

Steinberg’s Cubase Pro 15 Tempo Sync reference describes project-tempo synchronization of delay and modulation parameters with straight, dotted and triplet note values. Its Cubasis 3.8 Delay reference describes dotted timing. These references support the musical conventions; this calculator is an independent implementation and is not affiliated with Steinberg.

Source review: October 30, 2026. The formulas follow directly from the definition of BPM and the note-length ratios above. BPM Timing has not been tested with every plug-in or hardware pedal.

About this tool

BPM Timing is a small browser-based timing reference for music production. It does not record, listen, or generate sound. Questions or corrections? Contact [email protected].