Guide index
Tempo Guides: Learn How Tempo, BPM and Meter Work
The guides explain what the numbers in the tempo tools mean. They run from the basics of tempo and BPM through tempo markings, meter and note values to finding a song’s BPM, genre tempos, metronome practice and production. Each guide answers one question and links to the tool that applies it.
Tempo basics
What tempo and BPM are, and how they differ from beat and rhythm.
- What is tempo?The speed of the beat, measured in BPM and written as numbers or Italian terms.
- What is BPM?Beats per minute: the number that measures tempo, usually counting quarter notes.
- BPM vs tempoTempo is the speed, BPM measures it, and the beat is what gets counted.
- Rhythm vs tempoRhythm is the pattern of durations; tempo is the speed that pattern moves at.
- Average song BPMMost popular songs sit roughly between 90 and 130 BPM; 120 is a common default.
Tempo markings
The Italian terms on sheet music and the BPM ranges they suggest.
- Tempo markings chartEvery Italian tempo term from larghissimo to prestissimo, with BPM ranges.
- GraveVery slow, heavy and solemn, about 25–45 BPM.
- LargoSlow and broad, about 40–60 BPM.
- LentoSlow, about 45–60 BPM.
- AdagioSlow and at ease, about 66–76 BPM.
- AndanteAt a walking pace, about 76–108 BPM.
- ModeratoAt a moderate speed, about 108–120 BPM.
- AllegrettoModerately fast and light, about 112–120 BPM.
- AllegroFast and lively, about 120–156 BPM.
- VivaceLively and fast, about 156–176 BPM.
- PrestoVery fast, about 168–200 BPM.
- PrestissimoExtremely fast, 200 BPM and above.
- Tempo change markingsAccelerando, ritardando, rubato, a tempo and other terms that change the speed.
Time signatures and meter
How beats are grouped into bars, from 2/4 to 12/8.
- Time signaturesWhat the two numbers mean, plus a chart of 9 meters with bar lengths.
- Simple vs compound meterBeats that divide in 2 vs beats that divide in 3, with a classification table.
- 2/4 time (march time)Two quarter-note beats per bar; 1,000 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 4/4 time (common time)Four quarter-note beats per bar; 2,000 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 3/4 time (waltz time)Three quarter-note beats per bar; 1,500 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 6/8 timeSix eighth notes felt in two beats; 1,500 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 5/4 timeFive quarter-note beats, grouped 3+2 or 2+3; 2,500 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 7/8 timeSeven eighth notes in uneven groups; 1,750 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- 12/8 timeTwelve eighths felt as four beats of three; 3,000 ms per bar at 120 BPM.
- Cut time (2/2)Two half-note beats per bar; half note = 60 equals 120 quarter-note BPM.
Note values
How long each note lasts relative to the beat.
Finding BPM
Methods for measuring the tempo of recorded music.
Tempo by genre and song
Typical BPM ranges for styles, and verified song tempos.
- BPM by genreTypical tempo ranges for 25 styles, with half-time feel notes.
- Dubstep tempoAbout 140 BPM, felt in half time at about 70 BPM.
- Drum and bass tempoTypically 160–180 BPM; modern tracks sit near 170–175 BPM.
- Reggaeton tempoTypically about 88–100 BPM, driven by the dembow rhythm.
- Pop music tempoTypically about 100–130 BPM; ballads sit near 60–80 BPM.
- Songs by BPM42 well-known songs grouped by tempo band, each confirmed by two sources.
- Best BPM for runningMatch music BPM to your steps per minute, 1:1 or at half time.
Metronome practice
Using a click to build steady time.
Production and DJing
Tempo in the studio and behind the decks.
- BPM in music productionChoose a project tempo and sync effects, clicks and samples to it.
- BPM for DJsPitch-fader percentages, key lock and half-time mixing, with worked math.
- Set delay time to tempoFive steps from a song’s BPM to a delay setting in milliseconds.
- Reverb pre-delay and decaySet pre-delay and decay from the BPM so the tail ends on the grid.
How are the tempo guides organized?
The guides are grouped into eight topics that build on each other. Each topic answers a different question about musical tempo, and the index above lists every guide in the same order. Read a topic from top to bottom, or jump straight to the guide you need.
- Tempo basics define tempo, beats per minute (BPM) and the difference between tempo, beat and rhythm. Start with what tempo means in music.
- Tempo markings translate the Italian terms on sheet music, from grave to prestissimo, into commonly cited BPM ranges. The tempo markings overview shows all of them side by side.
- Time signatures and meter explain how beats are grouped into bars, from 2/4 to 12/8. Begin with how time signatures work.
- Note values show how long each note lasts relative to the beat, including dotted notes and triplets. The note values guide is the entry point.
- Finding BPM covers the methods for measuring the tempo of a recording: tapping, counting and audio analysis. See how to find the BPM of a song.
- Tempo by genre and song lists typical BPM ranges for styles such as pop, dubstep and drum and bass. The BPM by genre overview collects them.
- Metronome practice explains how to use a click to build steady time, starting with practicing with a metronome.
- Production and DJing applies tempo to delay, reverb, sampling and beatmatching. Start with BPM in music production.
Where should you start?
Start with the topic that matches the question in front of you. The guides do not need to be read in order, but each one assumes the ideas of the topics above it.
- New to tempo: read what BPM means, then the note values guide. Those two ideas explain every number on the site.
- Reading sheet music: go to the tempo markings, then the time signature of the piece you are learning.
- Producing or mixing: read the note values guide, then setting delay time to tempo.
- DJing: read BPM for DJs, then the genre tempo ranges.
- Practicing an instrument: read what a metronome is, then the practice guide.
How do the guides connect to the tools?
Every guide sends you to the tool that turns its idea into a number. The guides and the tools use the same formulas, so a value printed in a guide matches the value the tool shows for the same tempo. The table pairs each topic with its tool, using 120 BPM as the example.
| Topic | Tool | Result at 120 BPM |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo basics | Tempo calculator | Quarter note 500 ms |
| Note values | BPM to milliseconds converter | Sixteenth note 125 ms |
| Time signatures | Bars to time calculator | One 3/4 bar 1,500 ms |
| Tempo markings and practice | Metronome with accents | One click every 500 ms |
| Finding BPM | BPM finder with tap tempo | Taps 500 ms apart read 120 BPM |
| Production | Tempo delay calculator | Dotted-eighth delay 375 ms |
The formulas behind every result, with test values, are on the formulas and methodology page. The full list of calculators is in the tempo tools directory.