How do you convert BPM to delay time in milliseconds?

One beat (a quarter note) lasts 60000 divided by the BPM milliseconds. So at 120 BPM a quarter note is 500 ms. Other note values are simple fractions or multiples of that beat length.

What is a dotted eighth delay and why is it popular?

A dotted eighth note is one and a half times an eighth note, equal to three sixteenths. Set as a delay time it creates the syncopated, galloping echo heard on countless guitar and synth parts. At 120 BPM it is 375 ms.

What is the difference between dotted and triplet timing?

A dotted value is 1.5 times the base note, making it longer; a triplet value is two thirds of the base note, making it shorter and giving a rolling, swung feel. The tool shows both for every division.

Should I use these times exactly or round them?

Use them as close as your plugin allows. Many delays sync to tempo automatically, but for hardware units or free-time plugins entering the exact millisecond value locks the echo to the grid.

Does this work for any tempo including odd ones?

Yes. The formula is purely arithmetic, so it is accurate for any BPM including fractional tempos like 128.5 or unusual ones like 174 used in drum and bass.

BPM to Delay Time (ms) Calculator

Delays sound best when their timing locks to the song. This tool converts your track’s BPM into precise delay times in milliseconds for every common note value, including the dotted and triplet variants producers reach for most.

How it works

Tempo in beats per minute tells you how long one beat lasts. A beat is a quarter note, so:

quarter note (ms) = 60000 / BPM

At 120 BPM that is 60000 / 120 = 500 ms. Every other note value scales from this single beat length:

Whole note = quarter x 4
Half note = quarter x 2
Eighth note = quarter / 2
Sixteenth note = quarter / 4, and so on

Two important feels modify any value:

Dotted = base x 1.5 (one and a half times as long)
Triplet = base x 2/3 (two thirds as long)

Worked example

At 120 BPM the quarter note is 500 ms. From that:

Eighth note: 250 ms
Dotted eighth: 250 x 1.5 = 375 ms (the classic rhythmic delay)
Eighth triplet: 250 x 2/3 = 166.7 ms
Sixteenth: 125 ms

Tips and notes

The dotted eighth is the go-to for ambient guitar and synth echoes; pair it with feedback around 30 to 40 percent for a defined repeat.
For wide stereo delays, try a dotted eighth on one channel and a straight eighth on the other to create movement without clutter.
If your delay plugin already syncs to tempo, use these figures to sanity-check or to recreate the timing on a free-running hardware unit. All values are computed locally in your browser.