Tap Tempo - BPM Calculator from Tapping
Audio & Music
Find the BPM of any song by tapping to the beat. Displays BPM, ms per beat, and note subdivision timings.
Or press Space
Tap twice or more to see BPM
What is tempo (BPM)?
BPM stands for Beats Per Minute - the number of quarter-note beats in one minute. It's the primary measure of musical speed. Common tempos range from 60 BPM (slow ballad) to 180+ BPM (fast drum & bass).
Note timing at 120 BPM
- Whole note: 2000 ms
- Half note: 1000 ms
- Quarter note: 500 ms
- Eighth note: 250 ms
- Sixteenth note: 125 ms
Genre BPM reference
| Genre | Typical BPM range |
|---|---|
| Reggae / R&B | 60–90 |
| Hip-hop | 60–100 |
| Pop | 100–130 |
| Dance / House | 120–135 |
| Techno | 130–150 |
| Drum & Bass | 160–180 |
| Hardcore / Gabber | 160–220+ |
How tap tempo works
Each tap records a timestamp. The tool calculates the average interval between consecutive taps using a rolling window of recent taps. After 3–4 taps, the reading becomes stable. Early taps may show a wider range - keep tapping to let the average smooth out.
Tap in time with the beat of a song to find its BPM, then use the result to match a metronome, sync a loop pedal, or set a DAW's project tempo.
BPM and time signatures
BPM always counts quarter-note beats regardless of time signature. This means a waltz at 120 BPM (3/4 time) has a beat every 500 ms but a bar every 1,500 ms - 3 beats per bar instead of 4. A song in 6/8 time feels like it has 2 strong beats per bar (compound duple meter), each divided into three eighth notes rather than two.
When tapping along to a waltz or compound meter, tap on the main strong beat of each bar rather than every individual beat to capture the felt tempo.
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