Enter your BPM and instantly get delay times in milliseconds for every note value. Perfect for setting delay and reverb plugins in sync with your track tempo.
Open Delay Calculator →The formula is straightforward: divide 60,000 by the BPM to get the quarter note delay in milliseconds.
Quarter Note (ms) = 60,000 / BPM
Example: 120 BPM = 60,000 / 120 = 500ms
From there, halve or double for other note values:
The three most important delay values for most music production workflows.
| BPM | Quarter Note | Dotted Eighth | Eighth Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 750.0 ms | 562.5 ms | 375.0 ms |
| 90 | 666.7 ms | 500.0 ms | 333.3 ms |
| 100 | 600.0 ms | 450.0 ms | 300.0 ms |
| 110 | 545.5 ms | 409.1 ms | 272.7 ms |
| 120 | 500.0 ms | 375.0 ms | 250.0 ms |
| 128 | 468.8 ms | 351.6 ms | 234.4 ms |
| 135 | 444.4 ms | 333.3 ms | 222.2 ms |
| 140 | 428.6 ms | 321.4 ms | 214.3 ms |
| 150 | 400.0 ms | 300.0 ms | 200.0 ms |
| 160 | 375.0 ms | 281.3 ms | 187.5 ms |
| 174 | 344.8 ms | 258.6 ms | 172.4 ms |
For every note value at any BPM, use the full calculator above.
Different delay effects call for different note values. Here is a guide to the most used delay types in music production and mixing.
Short single repeat for 1950s rockabilly and modern vocal doubling. Use eighth or 16th note values.
The classic U2 / David Gilmour rhythmic echo. Sits between beats, creating forward momentum.
Clean, rhythmic repeat locked to the beat. Works on most instruments; try it on lead synths.
Short delay alternating left/right. Creates width and stereo movement. Often set to 16th note.
Gap between dry signal and reverb tail. Adds clarity. Aim for 1/32nd or 1/64th note value.
Vintage multi-repeat with subtle pitch drift. Set to quarter or eighth note values for rhythmic feel.
When delay repeats fall on beat subdivisions, they feel intentional and musical. Random millisecond values often clash with the groove, adding mud instead of space.
Choosing quarter vs dotted eighth vs triplet delay creates completely different rhythmic textures from the same plugin. Knowing the exact ms values lets you achieve the feel you want deliberately.
BPM-synced delays sit in the mix without cluttering the frequency spectrum. Off-tempo delays smear the transients of other elements, making mixes feel dense and unclear.
Not every delay plugin has a tempo-sync button. Knowing the exact millisecond value lets you dial it in manually on any hardware or software delay unit.
Divide 60,000 by the BPM to get the quarter note delay in milliseconds. All other note values scale from there: eighth note is half the quarter, dotted eighth is 0.75x the quarter, and triplets are 0.667x the quarter. The BeatKey Delay Calculator handles all of this automatically.
At 120 BPM the quarter note is 500ms, the dotted eighth is 375ms, and the eighth note is 250ms. For rhythmic echo effects, the dotted eighth (375ms) is the classic starting point. For tight slapback, try the 16th note at 125ms.
Use the 32nd note or 64th note delay value as your pre-delay. At 120 BPM, the 32nd note is 62.5ms and the 64th note is 31.25ms. This gives a short, musically relevant gap before the reverb tail hits. Many engineers also use simple values like 10-20ms for vocal reverb regardless of tempo.
A dotted eighth delay at the right BPM creates the iconic cascading guitar echo heard on tracks like The Edge (U2) or David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). The repeat falls between the beat subdivisions, creating a lilting, forward-pushing feel. At slower BPMs, a dotted quarter creates a similar effect on slower material.
Calculate delay times for your track
Enter BPM, tap tempo, or get your BPM from BeatKey first. Every note value, instant, free.
Open Delay Calculator →