delay & reverb calculator
Convert BPM to delay and reverb times in milliseconds, with dotted and triplet values.
| note | straight | dotted | triplet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bar4/4 | |||
| 1/2 | |||
| 1/4 | |||
| 1/8 | |||
| 1/16 | |||
| 1/32 | |||
| 1/64 | |||
| 1/128 |
at 120 bpm that is exactly a 1/8
Decay sized to the bar keeps the tail out of the next phrase; nudge pre-delay up to separate the reverb from the dry vocal. The release time works for compressor and synth release too.
sync your delays and reverbs to the tempo
Delays and reverbs sit better in a mix when their times line up with the song's tempo. Type your bpm, pick a time signature, and get every note value in milliseconds or Hz: straight, dotted and triplet, from a full bar down to a 1/128. Already have a delay time? Type it in and the calculator tells you which note value it is and at what tempo. Reverb starting points size pre-delay, decay and release to the bar, and the loop section converts bars to seconds and samples for samplers and loopers.
If you don't know the tempo yet, drop the track on our key and bpm finder or tap it out with the bpm tapper, then bring the number here.
common questions
how do I calculate delay time from bpm?
A quarter note in milliseconds is 60000 divided by the bpm. At 120 bpm that is 500 ms; an eighth note is half that, dotted values are 1.5 times, triplets are two thirds. The table does all of it, and every cell copies with one click.
what should I set my reverb decay to?
A useful starting point is to size the decay to the bar: half a bar for tight rooms, one bar for a standard tail, two or more for halls. Pre-delay around a 1/64 note keeps the dry signal separated from the reverb.
what is the Hz value for?
The same timing applies to LFOs. Switch the table from ms to hz and every note value becomes a rate, useful for setting a free-running LFO to match a note value when a plugin has no sync option.
I already have a delay time. which note is it?
Type it into the box under the table. It shows the nearest note value at your current tempo, and lists every note value that lands exactly on that time at a tempo between 40 and 240 bpm. Click one to set the tempo.
does the time signature change the numbers?
Only the bar-based ones: the 1 bar row, the reverb decays and the loop length. bpm counts quarter notes in every DAW, so a bar of 3/4 or 6/8 is three beats and 7/8 is three and a half. The subdivisions from 1/2 down to 1/128 stay the same.