🎛️ BPM Delay Time Calculator
Enter your track tempo (BPM) to instantly get delay times in milliseconds for quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted and triplet notes — or convert a delay in ms back to BPM. A must-have for mixing, recording, electronic music production and live DJ sets.
📋 Full delay cheat-sheet
Delay milliseconds for every note value at 120 BPM (highlighted row = current selection):
| Note | Beats | Delay (ms) | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|
🔄 Reverse: delay ms → BPM
Heard an echo you like but don't know the tempo? Enter the delay in milliseconds and instantly see the matching BPM for every note value — perfect for locking delays to the grid in your DAW.
❓ FAQ
How do I calculate delay time in milliseconds?
Delay ms = note beats × 60000 ÷ BPM. For example, at 120 BPM a quarter note (1 beat) gives 1 × 60000 ÷ 120 = 500 ms; an eighth note (0.5 beat) gives 250 ms.
Why is the dotted eighth delay so common in reggae and dub music?
A dotted eighth note lasts 0.75 beat, which is 375 ms at 120 BPM. Together with the quarter note (500 ms) it forms a 3:4 ratio that creates the off-beat, syncopated echo that defines reggae, dub and funk delay tones.
What is the difference between triplet and straight note delays?
A triplet divides one beat into three equal parts: an eighth triplet is 0.333 beat, shorter than a straight eighth note (0.5 beat). At 120 BPM the eighth triplet is 166.67 ms while the eighth note is 250 ms, so triplets sound denser and more urgent.
How do I convert delay milliseconds back to BPM?
BPM = note beats × 60000 ÷ delay ms. For a 250 ms delay as an eighth note: 0.5 × 60000 ÷ 250 = 120 BPM. The reverse mode of this tool automatically lists the matching BPM for every note value.