BPM to Delay Time Calculator
Every note value in milliseconds, from one tempo.
Work out BPM to Delay Time. Every note value in milliseconds, from one tempo. Names the misconception directly.
Quarter note delay
500 ms
Eighth 250 ms · dotted eighth 375 ms
A quarter note is 60,000 divided by the tempo, in milliseconds, and every other value is a fraction of that. At 120 BPM the quarter is exactly 500 ms, which is why 120 is such a common working tempo. The dotted eighth is the one worth memorising. Set a delay to it and the repeats land between the beats rather than on them, producing the rhythmic pattern behind a great deal of guitar and synth music since the early eighties. The same figures set reverb. A decay roughly the length of one bar keeps a space sounding tied to the tempo instead of washing across the next chord, and pre-delay of a sixteenth keeps the source clear of its own tail.
How the BPM to Delay Time Calculator works
Enter a tempo and get every note value in milliseconds — whole down to sixteenth, plus triplets and the dotted eighth that produces the rhythmic delay pattern behind a great deal of guitar and synth music. The same figures set reverb decay and pre-delay.
Also known as: bpm to ms · delay time for 120 bpm · dotted eighth delay chart · reverb decay for tempo
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
Divide 60,000 by the tempo for a quarter note. At 120 BPM that is exactly 500 ms, and every other note value is a fraction or multiple of it.
What is a dotted eighth delay?
Three sixteenths — 375 ms at 120 BPM. The repeats land between the beats rather than on them, producing the pattern that has defined delay-heavy guitar sound since the early eighties. It is the single most useful setting on the list.
How do I set reverb to the tempo?
A decay of roughly one bar keeps the tail tied to the tempo instead of washing into the next chord. Pre-delay of a sixteenth keeps the dry source clear of its own reverb, which preserves intelligibility on vocals.
Should delay always be tempo-synced?
No. Slightly off-grid delays create movement that a locked one cannot, and slapback on vocals is usually set by ear at 80-120 ms regardless of tempo. Sync is a starting point, not a rule.
Does the delay time change with time signature?
The note values do not — a quarter note is a quarter note. Only the bar length changes, which is why the bar figure here takes beats per bar as a separate input.
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