How do I calculate note duration from BPM?

Quarter note duration (ms) = 60,000 / BPM. At 120 BPM: 60,000 / 120 = 500ms per quarter note. Multiply by 2 for half notes, divide by 2 for eighth notes. Dotted notes are 1.5x the straight value. Triplets are 2/3 of the straight value.

Why do I need note durations in milliseconds?

Many audio effects (delay, reverb pre-delay, LFO rate, gate timing) are set in milliseconds. To sync these effects to the tempo of your music, you need the exact millisecond value for each note division. This ensures effects groove with the music rather than fighting it.

What is a dotted note?

A dotted note lasts 1.5 times as long as a regular note. A dotted eighth note = eighth note + sixteenth note = 1.5 x eighth note. Dotted eighth note delays are extremely popular — they create the rhythmic delay sound heard in countless pop and rock recordings.

A triplet divides a beat into three equal parts instead of two. A triplet quarter note is 2/3 the length of a regular quarter note. Triplets create a swinging, rolling feel and are fundamental to jazz, blues, shuffle and many dance music styles.

How accurate are the Italian tempo markings?

The tempo marking (Largo, Andante, Allegro, Presto and so on) is an indicative classification only. Historical Italian tempo terms describe character as much as speed, and their BPM ranges overlap heavily and vary by source and era — for example Allegro is given anywhere from roughly 84 to 168 BPM depending on the reference. The millisecond and sample-count results, by contrast, are exact: they come straight from 60,000 / BPM and do not depend on the marking.

AudioCalcs

Tempo Calculator — BPM to Note Duration in Milliseconds

Convert BPM to note durations in milliseconds for delay, reverb and LFO.

BPM

Tempo in beats per minute — type your own or select a preset

Tempo MarkingItalian tempo markings — select to auto-fill BPM (ranges are indicative; they overlap and vary by source)

How We Calculate This

Base Formula

Quarter note (ms) = 60,000 / BPM

Note Divisions

Whole = quarter × 4
Half = quarter × 2
Eighth = quarter / 2
Sixteenth = quarter / 4
Dotted = straight × 1.5
Triplet = straight × 2/3

Sample Count

For sample-accurate editing: Samples = (ms / 1000) × sample rate. At 44,100 Hz, a quarter note at 120 BPM = 22,050 samples.

Tempo Marking

The Italian tempo marking shown alongside the result is an indicative label only. Historical tempo terms overlap and their BPM boundaries vary by source (e.g. Allegro spans roughly 84–168 BPM depending on the reference), so treat the marking as a rough guide. The millisecond and sample values are exact.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.