What is reverb pre-delay?

Pre-delay is the gap between the dry sound and the start of the reverb tail. A short pre-delay keeps a vocal or snare clear and defined before the reverb blooms, improving intelligibility and depth.

Why sync pre-delay to the tempo?

When the pre-delay lands on a musical subdivision the reverb tail feels rhythmically part of the track rather than a random wash. It is a subtle effect but it tightens busy mixes noticeably.

What pre-delay should I use on vocals?

A common starting point is a 1/32 or 1/16 note pre-delay, often in the 20 to 80 ms range depending on tempo. It separates the words from the tail so the vocal stays upfront while still sounding spacious.

How is the pre-delay calculated from BPM?

A quarter note is 60000 divided by the BPM milliseconds. Shorter note values are simple fractions of that, and dotted values are 1.5 times the base while triplets are two thirds.

Can a pre-delay be too long?

Yes. Beyond a 1/8 note at slower tempos the gap becomes an audible slap and starts to sound like a discrete echo rather than reverb. For most sources keep it to a 1/16 note or shorter.

BPM to Reverb Pre-Delay Calculator

Reverb sits better in a mix when its pre-delay is timed to the music. This tool turns your BPM into musically-synced pre-delay values so the reverb tail starts on a beat subdivision, keeping the dry signal clear and the wet tail locked to the groove.

How it works

Pre-delay is just a short delay before the reverb begins, so the same tempo-to-milliseconds maths applies. One beat is a quarter note:

quarter note (ms) = 60000 / BPM

Pre-delays are usually short, so the tool focuses on the shorter divisions — 1/8 down to 1/64 — and gives the straight, dotted, and triplet value for each:

Straight = the note’s fraction of the beat
Dotted = base x 1.5
Triplet = base x 2/3

Worked example

At 120 BPM the quarter note is 500 ms. Useful pre-delays from there:

1/16 note: 125 ms — a clear, rhythmic gap
1/32 note: 62.5 ms — subtle separation, great on vocals
1/64 note: 31.25 ms — barely perceptible, just adds depth
Dotted 1/32: 93.75 ms — a touch more space with a swung feel

Tips and notes

For lead vocals, a 1/32 to 1/16 pre-delay keeps consonants crisp while the tail adds size; longer than a 1/8 and the reverb starts to sound like a separate echo.
On drums, sync the pre-delay to the same division as your delay throws so the ambience reinforces the rhythm rather than fighting it.
Faster tempos shorten every value, so re-check the figure if you change the project tempo. All values are computed locally in your browser.