Tempo · notes · precise timing
BPM to milliseconds calculator
Enter a quarter-note tempo and get straight, dotted, and triplet durations with hertz for every common note value.
Formula and worked example
How to convert BPM to milliseconds
Quarter-note duration in milliseconds = 60,000 ÷ BPM.
At 120 BPM: 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500 ms per quarter note.
Straight, dotted, and triplet values
At 120 BPM, a straight eighth note is 250 ms, a dotted eighth is 375 ms, and an eighth-note triplet is approximately 166.666667 ms. Start with the quarter-note duration, then apply the selected note and rhythm multiplier.
Milliseconds and hertz
Frequency in hertz = 1,000 ÷ duration in milliseconds. A 500 ms quarter note repeats at 2 Hz.
BPM alone is not a unique delay or note duration until the note value and rhythm are chosen. This constant-tempo calculation does not control a device, inspect audio, or account for swing and tempo maps.
Exact local timing