Tap tempo & delay-time calculator

From a beat to a delay time

At 120 quarter-note beats per minute, each beat is 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500 milliseconds. An eighth note is half that: 250 ms. A dotted eighth lasts 375 ms, while an eighth-note triplet lasts about 166.667 ms. This is the same conversion used in Sweetwater's delay-time reference.

How to tap a tempo

Tap at least four quarter-note beats, then choose “Use tapped tempo.” The estimate uses the average interval between up to nine recent taps. A pause longer than three seconds starts a new sequence. Very quick duplicate taps also reset it. Tap results are estimates of your timing; check against the track or metronome.

Units and assumptions

For note denominator d, straight duration = (60,000/BPM) × 4/d. Dotted duration is 1.5 times straight; a triplet note is two-thirds of straight. The rate in hertz is 1,000 divided by the duration in ms. Sample count is duration × sample rate, rounded to the nearest whole sample.

BPM always refers to a quarter note here, including for compound meters. The timeline shows repeated selected intervals over two seconds; it illustrates spacing and does not play audio. Use the polyrhythm metronome to hear layered rhythms. For pitched frequencies rather than repeating beat rates, try the note-frequency calculator.

These are rhythmic reference times, not automatic recommendations for reverb decay, feedback or mix settings. No audio recording, upload or beat detection is used. Full CSV values retain calculation precision; the screen rounds times and rates for readability.