Example 1
120 BPM -> 500 ms per quarter note.
Beat time from BPM calculator
Type tempo in BPM and read the milliseconds of one quarter note. A minute has 60,000 ms, so you divide 60000 by BPM. At 120 you get a clean 500 ms. At 60 BPM it is a full second.
One bar: bar time from BPM. A chosen note value: note duration in ms. Full track: bars and BPM.
Result
Enter a value. The result shows up here.
How it works
On a sequencer or a delay, the beat is usually a quarter note. The formula is short: ms = 60000 / BPM. At 120 BPM you get a clean 500 ms. At 60 BPM it is 1000 ms, a full second between hits. At 100 BPM you have 600 ms, an easy knob check.
The result is whole milliseconds, because that is what you set on hardware. 140 BPM is exactly 428.57 ms, 429 ms on the page. 128 BPM is 468.75 ms, 469 on the page. The note keeps two decimal places when you want the remainder.
Milliseconds of one quarter note from BPM. In 4/4 the bar has four of these beats, so at 120 BPM the bar lasts 2 s. That time lives on the bar-duration page. Eighths and sixteenths have their own denominator on the note-duration page: an eighth at 120 BPM is 250 ms.
Tempo must be greater than zero. Negative BPM does not divide a minute the way a metronome ticks. A comma and a period in the number work the same, so 128.5 can be 128,5.
Type BPM, click Calculate, read ms. If the metronome in the project ticks eighths, convert the tempo to a quarter-note BPM first. The calculator does not guess whether your DAW calls an eighth the beat.
The same result goes into a delay, a kick sidechain, and a sample grid. 174 BPM, a typical drum and bass clip, is 345 ms per quarter. 80 BPM is 750 ms, a slow ballad gap.
How to use
- Type tempo in BPM, for example 120. A comma and a period are the same.
- Click Calculate. 120 gives 500 ms, 60 gives 1000 ms, 100 gives 600 ms.
- The result is whole milliseconds. 140 BPM rounds 428.57 to 429 ms; the finer value sits in the note.
- If you need a whole bar, open bar duration. There the quarter notes in the bar multiply this beat.
- For an eighth or a sixteenth, go to note duration and type denominator 8 or 16.
Formula
ms = 60000 / BPM
Beat = quarter note. BPM must be greater than zero. The calculator rounds to whole milliseconds.
BPM and ms of one quarter note
Here ms = 60000 / BPM. At 120 you get a clean 500 ms. At 60 BPM it is a full second. The beat in this calculator is a quarter note.
- BPM
- How many quarter notes fit in a minute. 60000 / 120 = 500. 90 BPM would be about 667 ms. Empty tempo does not insert 120.
- ms
- Milliseconds of one beat, rounded to a whole number. 500 at 120. A note denominator does not enter: this is always a quarter.
Real-life examples
Example 2
60 BPM -> 1000 ms, a full second per beat.
Example 3
140 BPM -> 429 ms after rounding.
Example 4
90 BPM -> 667 ms on one beat.
Example 5
128 BPM -> 469 ms in a typical club grid.
Example 6
174 BPM -> 345 ms per quarter note.
Example 7
80 BPM -> 750 ms between hits.
Example 8
100 BPM -> 600 ms, an easy delay check.
Ways to use this calculator
- You set a delay to one quarter note when the session only shows BPM.
- You check how many milliseconds a kick sidechain needs at a known metronome tempo.
- You compare 120 BPM (500 ms) with 128 BPM (469 ms) before you copy a delay preset.
Frequently asked questions
How many ms is a quarter at 120, 60, and 100 BPM?
500 ms, 1000 ms, and 600 ms. Those are exact, no rounding.
Why does 140 BPM show 429 ms, not 428.57?
The calculator rounds to whole milliseconds. The note keeps 428.57 ms.
How many ms at 128 and 174 BPM?
128 BPM is 469 ms (exactly 468.75). 174 BPM is 345 ms (exactly 344.83).
Is this the full 4/4 bar time?
No. This is one beat. At 120 BPM a 4/4 bar lasts 2 s, four times 500 ms. That lives on bar duration.
How do I get an eighth from this result?
Halve it, or open note duration with denominator 8. At 120 BPM an eighth is 250 ms.
Is 90 BPM 667 ms?
Yes on the page. Exactly 666.67 ms, rounded to 667.
What if the metronome ticks eighths?
Convert to quarter-note BPM first. The calculator always divides the minute as a quarter, not as an eighth.
Is 80 BPM 750 ms?
Yes. 60000 / 80 = 750, exact, with no remainder on the millisecond card.
What tempo gives a clean 400 ms?
150 BPM, because 60000 / 150 = 400. Handy when a delay is locked at 400 ms.
Can I type 128.5 with a comma?
Yes. 128,5 and 128.5 are the same tempo. The result is 467 ms.
Knowledge sources
Frequency and intervals in this calculator follow the hertz and A440 concert pitch.
Page updated in 2026.