What is the formula for converting BPM to delay time?

Divide 60,000 (milliseconds in one minute) by the BPM. This gives the quarter-note delay time. For example, at 120 BPM: 60,000 / 120 = 500 ms. Other note values are multiples or fractions of this base value.

How is a dotted note delay time calculated?

A dotted note lasts 1.5 times its base note. At 120 BPM a dotted quarter note = 500 ms x 1.5 = 750 ms. The most common example in pop music is the dotted-eighth delay (375 ms at 120 BPM), famously used by The Edge of U2.

How are triplet delay times calculated?

Triplets place three notes in the time of two, so each triplet note is 2/3 of its base note duration. At 120 BPM a quarter-note triplet = 500 x 2/3 ≈ 333 ms.

Why do my delay pedal times need to be in milliseconds?

Many hardware delay units and some software plugins accept an explicit time value in milliseconds rather than a BPM sync mode. Entering the exact ms value keeps the effect locked to your song tempo without needing a MIDI clock connection.

What BPM range does this calculator support?

The calculator supports 1 to 999 BPM, covering everything from ambient slowcore to the fastest drum-and-bass and gabber tempos.

Delay Time Calculator

Enter a BPM and instantly get delay times in milliseconds for every standard note value — whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted, and triplet.

Tempo & Note Value

BPM (Beats Per Minute)

Range: 1 – 999 BPM

Quick Presets

Note Value

Delay Time

Quarter Note @ 120 BPM

500.00 ms

0.5000 seconds | 2.00 Hz

Full Reference Table

Click any row to copy

Note	ms	Seconds	Hz

Copied!

Summary

The Delay Time Calculator converts your project BPM into precise delay times in milliseconds for every common note subdivision. Enter a tempo and choose a note value — whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth — with dotted and triplet variants. The result is the exact millisecond value to dial into a delay pedal, DAW plugin, or any effect unit that accepts a time input rather than a BPM sync.

How it works

Enter your project BPM in the input field or choose a quick preset.
Select a note subdivision — the chosen delay time updates instantly.
Click "Copy" to copy the millisecond value to your clipboard.
Scroll the full table to see every note value side by side.
The quarter-note duration (60,000 ms / BPM) is the base; all other values multiply or divide from it.
Dotted notes are 1.5x the base note; triplet notes are 2/3 of the base note.

Use cases

Dial in delay pedal or DAW plugin time to match project tempo.
Sync ping-pong or stereo delay to specific note subdivisions.
Set pre-delay on a reverb plugin to a rhythmically accurate value.
Match LFO rate to a quarter-note or eighth-note grid.
Configure sidechain compressor release for pumping effects on beat.
Find the exact dotted-eighth delay time used in slap-back guitar production.
Teach students the relationship between tempo and note duration.
Verify tap-tempo readings against expected millisecond values.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu