What this is
Play the song, tap the beat, and read the BPM. When the number settles, you can hear a click against the track, or use the table for delay times in milliseconds.
How to use it
- Play the song, then tap the blue field on each beat. A mouse click, a touch, the space bar and any letter key all work. If you already know the tempo, type it into the big number instead, from 20 to 400, and press Enter.
- Keep tapping until the number stops moving. Wait two seconds to start a new count.
- Press Hear it to play a click at that tempo. If it drifts from the song, tap again, type a new number, or use minus 1, plus 1, halve and double.
Questions
What is BPM?
BPM means beats per minute. It counts how many beats fall in one minute. At 120 BPM there are two beats every second.
How many taps give an accurate reading?
Two taps give a first guess. Eight or more taps give a steady reading, because the tool averages the last eight gaps between taps. Tap on the same beat each time.
What is half time and double time?
The Halve and Double buttons switch the number, 140 to 70 or back. In a lot of dance music those two readings are the same groove, counted differently. A 140 BPM dubstep or trap track in half time feels like 70.
What delay time should I use?
A quarter note lasts 60000 divided by the BPM, in milliseconds. At 120 BPM that is 500 ms. If you already know your tempo, type it into the big number, or tap it in. Set the delay to a quarter note for a clear echo, an eighth note for a tight one, and a dotted eighth for a bouncing one. The table on this page shows each time at your tempo, including half notes and eighth triplets.
What are typical tempos by genre?
Rough ranges, and they overlap: 60 to 85 BPM, hip hop and downtempo. 85 to 115, hip hop, funk, reggaeton. 115 to 130, house. 125 to 150, techno and trance. 135 to 150, dubstep and trap counted in half time. 160 to 180, drum and bass.