BPM to Hz Converter
This BPM to Hz converter turns any tempo into a beat frequency using f = BPM / 60. The core feature is a note subdivision chart giving delay times (ms) and frequencies (Hz) for every note value — 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, plus dotted and triplet variants — making it a handy delay time calculator for music producer workflows: syncing delays, LFOs, and reverb pre-delay to your project tempo.
Input
Result
Note Subdivision & Delay Time Chart
| Note | Straight | Dotted (× 1.5) | Triplet (× 2/3) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Freq | Time | Freq | Time | Freq | |
Tempo Markings & Genre Reference
| Italian Marking | BPM Range | Typical Use / Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Larghissimo | < 24 | Extremely slow — funeral marches, ambient drone |
| Grave | 25 – 45 | Very slow, serious |
| Largo | 40 – 60 | Broad, slow — many ballads, classical adagios |
| Larghetto | 60 – 66 | Rather broadly |
| Adagio | 66 – 76 | Slow and stately — R&B ballads, downtempo |
| Andante | 76 – 108 | Walking pace — hip-hop, reggae, smooth jazz |
| Moderato | 108 – 120 | Moderate — pop, rock, modern pop ballads |
| Allegro | 120 – 156 | Fast — rock, EDM, house (118–135), techno (120–150) |
| Vivace | 156 – 168 | Lively — UK garage, footwork, jungle |
| Presto | 168 – 200 | Very fast — drum & bass (165–185), hard dance |
| Prestissimo | > 200 | Extremely fast — speedcore, splittercore |
About BPM, Tempo Sync & Delay
BPM (beats per minute) is the standard unit for musical tempo. Hz (hertz) is the standard unit for frequency in seconds. The conversion is direct: f (Hz) = BPM / 60. A 120 BPM track has a beat frequency of 2 Hz — two beats every second. The reciprocal gives the beat period: T (ms) = 60,000 / BPM, so 120 BPM = 500 ms per beat.
Why this matters: tempo-synced delays
Setting a delay to a "musical" subdivision (1/8 dotted = 375 ms at 120 BPM, 1/16 = 125 ms) makes the delay sit IN the groove rather than fighting it. The subdivision table on this page gives you those numbers for any tempo. Type your BPM, copy the delay value, paste into your DAW. Many modern DAWs sync delays automatically — but external pedals and outboard often need explicit millisecond values.
LFO rates as frequencies
An LFO (low-frequency oscillator) that completes one cycle per bar at 120 BPM runs at 0.5 Hz. Per beat: 2 Hz. Per 1/8 note: 4 Hz. Per 1/16 note: 8 Hz. Tempo-synced LFOs on a tremolo, filter sweep, or pan modulation use these frequencies to ride the groove. This tool gives you the exact Hz value for each subdivision.
Reverb pre-delay
Pre-delay (the gap between dry signal and start of reverb tail) is often set to a subdivision — 1/8 or 1/16 — to make the reverb feel "in the pocket." At 120 BPM, that's 250 ms or 125 ms respectively. Producers often pick triplet variants (e.g., 1/8 triplet = 166.7 ms) for a less rigid feel.
Sidechain and gate sync
Tempo-synced gating — the classic "pumping" trance or big-room sound — uses a volume envelope triggered at a musical subdivision. The gate opens and closes at a 1/4 or 1/8 note rate, meaning the modulation rate in Hz is exactly the subdivision frequency from this table. A side-chain compressor releasing on a 1/4 note at 128 BPM triggers at 2.133 Hz. Knowing the Hz value also helps when you use a plugin that expresses gate rate in Hz rather than note divisions. For hearing how these subdivisions relate to actual pitch, you can also check the note-to-Hz converter to see where LFO rates land on the musical scale.