BPM to Hz Calculator

Enter your project tempo in BPM to instantly find the correct LFO frequencies (in Hertz) for standard, dotted, and triplet note divisions.

Tempo (BPM)

Note Division	Straight (Hz)	Dotted (Hz)	Triplet (Hz)

Note: Calculations are based on a standard 4/4 time signature where one quarter note equals one beat.

A BPM to Hz Calculator converts tempo in beats per minute into matching frequencies in Hertz for musical note divisions. Enter your project tempo, and the calculator instantly shows straight, dotted, and triplet frequencies from a full bar through 1/64 notes.

This is especially useful for tempo-syncing LFOs, tremolo, autopan, filters, phasers, chorus, synthesizer modulation, and other effects that accept frequency in Hertz instead of BPM or note values.

How to Use the BPM to Hz Calculator

Using the calculator is simple:

Enter your project tempo in BPM.
You can also adjust the tempo with the slider.
Review the note-division table.
Choose the note value you want.
Read the corresponding Straight, Dotted, or Triplet frequency in Hz.
Use Copy Results if you want to save the values.
Use Reset to return the calculator to its starting value.

The visible default is 120 BPM.

The calculator provides frequencies for:

1 Bar (Whole)
1/2 Note
1/4 Note
1/8 Note
1/16 Note
1/32 Note
1/64 Note

Each row includes separate Hz values for straight, dotted, and triplet timing.

How to Read the Hz Results

Hertz means cycles per second.

For example, a value of 2 Hz means the modulation cycle repeats two times every second.

At 120 BPM, the straight values shown by the calculator are:

Note Division	Frequency
1 Bar	0.5 Hz
1/2 Note	1 Hz
1/4 Note	2 Hz
1/8 Note	4 Hz
1/16 Note	8 Hz
1/32 Note	16 Hz
1/64 Note	32 Hz

As the note division gets shorter, the frequency gets higher because more cycles fit into each second.

The dotted values are slower than their straight equivalents, while triplet values are faster.

How to Convert BPM to Hz

The basic BPM-to-Hz conversion is:

Hz = BPM ÷ 60

BPM measures beats per minute, while Hertz measures cycles per second.

At 120 BPM:

120 ÷ 60 = 2 Hz

That means the quarter-note beat rate at 120 BPM is 2 cycles per second.

At 60 BPM:

60 ÷ 60 = 1 Hz

At 90 BPM:

90 ÷ 60 = 1.5 Hz

This basic formula gives the quarter-note rate. Other note divisions are calculated by multiplying or dividing that frequency according to their rhythmic length.

BPM to Hz for Different Note Divisions

Once the quarter-note frequency is known, the other straight note divisions are easy to derive.

For a 4/4-based interpretation:

1 Bar = quarter-note frequency ÷ 4
1/2 Note = quarter-note frequency ÷ 2
1/4 Note = base frequency
1/8 Note = quarter-note frequency × 2
1/16 Note = quarter-note frequency × 4
1/32 Note = quarter-note frequency × 8
1/64 Note = quarter-note frequency × 16

At 120 BPM, the quarter-note frequency is 2 Hz.

So:

Full bar = 0.5 Hz
Half note = 1 Hz
Quarter note = 2 Hz
Eighth note = 4 Hz
Sixteenth note = 8 Hz

This makes it easy to match a modulation cycle to the rhythmic structure of a track.

Straight, Dotted, and Triplet Frequencies Explained

The calculator gives three frequency variations for every note division.

Straight uses the normal rhythmic duration.

A dotted note lasts 1.5 times longer than the equivalent straight note. Because the duration is longer, the frequency is lower.

The formula is:

Dotted Hz = Straight Hz ÷ 1.5

At 120 BPM, a straight quarter note is 2 Hz:

2 ÷ 1.5 = 1.333 Hz

A triplet value uses a shorter rhythmic duration. The corresponding frequency is 1.5 times the straight frequency:

Triplet Hz = Straight Hz × 1.5

At 120 BPM:

2 × 1.5 = 3 Hz

So a quarter-note rate at 120 BPM becomes:

Straight: 2 Hz
Dotted: 1.333 Hz
Triplet: 3 Hz

These variations make it possible to create different rhythmic modulation patterns without manually converting the timing.

BPM vs Hz: What Is the Difference?

BPM and Hz both describe repeating events, but they use different time scales.

BPM means beats per minute.

Hz means cycles per second.

For example:

60 BPM = 1 beat per second = 1 Hz
120 BPM = 2 beats per second = 2 Hz
180 BPM = 3 beats per second = 3 Hz

The important difference is how the value is used.

Musical tempo is usually expressed in BPM, while modulation speed is often expressed in Hz.

The calculator bridges those two systems by converting the musical tempo into frequencies that can be entered directly into effects, synthesizers, and plugins.

Using BPM to Hz for LFO Sync

An LFO, or low-frequency oscillator, produces repeating modulation cycles.

LFOs are commonly used to control parameters such as:

Volume
Pitch
Filter cutoff
Stereo position
Phase
Modulation depth

Some plugins automatically sync their LFO to the project tempo. Others only let you enter a rate in Hertz.

This calculator is useful in the second case.

For example, at 120 BPM:

Quarter-note LFO = 2 Hz
Eighth-note LFO = 4 Hz
Dotted quarter = 1.333 Hz
Quarter-note triplet = 3 Hz

If you want the modulation cycle to repeat once per quarter note, enter 2 Hz. If you want it to repeat twice as fast, use the eighth-note value of 4 Hz.

Using Tempo-Synced Hz for Modulation Effects

BPM-to-Hz conversion can be useful for many effects.

Tremolo can use tempo-synced Hz values to make volume pulses follow the rhythm.

Autopan can move the sound left and right at a rate tied to the beat.

Filter modulation can create rhythmic sweeps that repeat every quarter, eighth, or sixteenth note.

Phaser and chorus rates can also be adjusted to match the song tempo.

Other useful applications include:

Vibrato
Synth modulation
Rhythmic automation
Filter LFOs
Hardware synthesizers
Modulation pedals
Plugins without built-in tempo sync

Dotted and triplet frequencies are useful when you want movement that feels less predictable than straight subdivisions.

Why Faster Note Divisions Have Higher Hz Values

Frequency and duration have an inverse relationship.

A shorter note duration completes more cycles per second, so its Hz value is higher.

At 120 BPM:

Quarter note = 2 Hz
Eighth note = 4 Hz
Sixteenth note = 8 Hz
Thirty-second note = 16 Hz

Each time the straight note duration is cut in half, the frequency doubles.

The opposite happens with longer notes. A half note takes twice as long as a quarter note, so its frequency is half as high.

This relationship is why a full-bar cycle is slow while a sixty-fourth-note cycle is very fast.

When BPM to Hz Conversion Is Useful

A BPM to Hz Calculator is especially useful when you need to:

Sync an LFO to song tempo
Set tremolo speed
Match autopan movement to the beat
Create rhythmic filter modulation
Program synthesizer LFO rates
Sync phaser or chorus movement
Match modulation rates across effects
Work with plugins that only accept Hertz
Compare straight, dotted, and triplet patterns
Program hardware devices without automatic tempo sync

It can also help you understand the relationship between musical rhythm and modulation frequency.

BPM to Hz Calculator Accuracy and Limitations

BPM-to-Hz conversion is a direct mathematical relationship, so the calculated frequency is deterministic for the entered tempo.

However, a few practical factors can affect how useful the result is.

Music recorded without a click track may drift slightly in tempo. A single Hz value may therefore not remain perfectly synchronized throughout the entire song.

Tracks with tempo automation may require different calculations for different sections.

Some plugins and hardware devices also round frequency values to fewer decimal places. For example, a calculated value of 1.333 Hz may be displayed as 1.33 Hz.

Very fast note divisions can also produce frequencies above the range normally described as a traditional LFO. The frequency remains mathematically valid, but the effect may behave differently at higher rates.

Use the calculated value as the correct tempo reference, then adjust it if your musical or technical context requires it.

How do you convert BPM to Hz?

Divide the BPM by 60. For example, 120 BPM ÷ 60 = 2 Hz for the quarter-note beat rate.

What is 120 BPM in Hz?

120 BPM equals 2 Hz at the quarter-note level because two beats occur every second.

What is the frequency of a quarter note at 120 BPM?

The quarter-note frequency is 2 Hz.

How do I calculate LFO frequency from BPM?

Start with BPM ÷ 60 to get the quarter-note frequency, then multiply or divide that value according to the note division you want.

What is a dotted-note frequency?

A dotted note lasts 1.5 times longer than its straight equivalent, so divide the straight frequency by 1.5.

How do you calculate triplet Hz?

Multiply the straight frequency by 1.5. For example, a 2 Hz quarter-note rate becomes 3 Hz for the corresponding triplet value.

Why does an eighth note have a higher Hz value than a quarter note?

An eighth note lasts half as long as a quarter note, so twice as many cycles fit into one second. Its frequency is therefore twice as high.

Is BPM the same as Hz?

No. BPM measures events per minute, while Hz measures cycles per second. They can describe the same repeating rate using different units.

Can I use BPM-to-Hz values for tremolo and autopan?

Yes. The calculated frequencies can be used to synchronize tremolo, autopan, filters, and other modulation effects to the project tempo.

Can I use this calculator for hardware synthesizers?

Yes. If the synthesizer lets you enter an LFO or modulation rate in Hertz, use the corresponding value from the calculator.