BPM & Tempo Calculator
Enter a tempo and see the exact length of every note value in milliseconds — handy for setting a metronome, programming a click track, or just knowing what “a sixteenth note at 96 BPM” actually means in real time.
Note lengths & tempo marking
| Note value | Duration |
|---|---|
| Whole note | 2000 ms |
| Half note | 1000 ms |
| Quarter note | 500 ms |
| Eighth note | 250 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 125 ms |
| Thirty-second note | 62.5 ms |
| Dotted half | 1500 ms |
| Dotted quarter | 750 ms |
| Dotted eighth | 375 ms |
| Dotted sixteenth | 187.5 ms |
| Quarter-note triplet | 333.33 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 166.67 ms |
| Sixteenth-note triplet | 83.33 ms |
Why note length in milliseconds matters
Tempo is usually given as a single number — beats per minute — but a beat is not a fixed unit of rhythm on its own; it is one quarter note. Every other note value is a fraction or multiple of that beat, so converting BPM into milliseconds tells you exactly how much real time separates two sixteenth notes, two eighth-note triplets, or a dotted quarter, which is exactly the information you need when practicing subdivision against a metronome or setting up a delay or click track by ear.
The math is simple division and multiplication once you have the beat length: 60,000 milliseconds in a minute, divided by the BPM, gives the quarter note; every other value scales from there. Dotted notes add half their own value again, and triplets compress three notes into the space of two.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert BPM to milliseconds?
One quarter-note beat lasts 60,000 divided by the BPM, in milliseconds. At 120 BPM that's 60,000 / 120 = 500 ms per quarter note. Every other note value is a simple multiple of that: a half note is double, an eighth note is half, and so on.
How are dotted notes and triplets calculated?
A dot adds half the note's own value again, so a dotted quarter note lasts 1.5 quarter-note beats (750 ms at 120 BPM). A triplet fits three notes in the space normally taken by two, so each triplet note lasts two-thirds of the straight value — an eighth-note triplet at 120 BPM is 250 ms × 2/3 ≈ 166.67 ms.
What do the tempo names like Allegro and Andante mean?
They're the traditional Italian markings composers use to describe a tempo range rather than an exact number — Andante is a walking pace, Allegro is fast and lively, and so on. This tool maps your BPM onto commonly-cited ranges for a quick read, though historically the exact boundaries have varied somewhat between sources and eras.
Educational tool only. Tempo-marking ranges are a commonly-cited simplification, not a strict musical standard — treat them as a general guide.