BPM to MS Calculator – Convert BPM to Milliseconds

BPM to Milliseconds (MS) Calculator

Enter the tempo in beats per minute.
The milliseconds per beat will be displayed here.

Our bpm to ms calculator is a powerful tool that converts beats per minute (BPM) to milliseconds (MS), especially when working with digital audio workstations (DAWs), synthesizers, or other electronic music equipment.

You’re working on a track at 120 BPM, and you want to know how long a quarter note lasts in milliseconds:

First, calculate how many milliseconds are in a minute: 60,000 ms (60 seconds × 1000 ms).

Then divide this by the BPM: 60,000 ÷ 120 = 500 ms.

So, at 120 BPM, each quarter note (one beat) lasts 500 milliseconds.

BPM to MS Conversion Chart

BPMWhole Note (ms)Half Note (ms)Quarter Note (ms)Eighth Note (ms)Sixteenth Note (ms)
60400020001000500250
8030001500750375187.5
10024001200600300150
12020001000500250125
1401714.29857.14428.57214.29107.14
1601500750375187.593.75
1801333.33666.67333.33166.6783.33
200120060030015075

BPM to MS Formula

The formula to convert BPM to milliseconds is:

MS = (60,000 ÷ BPM) × Note Value

Where:

  • MS is the duration in milliseconds
  • BPM is beats per minute
  • Note Value is the rhythmic value of the note (1 for quarter notes, 0.5 for eighth notes, etc.)

Suppose you’re working on a track at 135 BPM, and you want to know the duration of an eighth note triplet in milliseconds.

First, calculate the duration of a quarter note: MS = 60,000 ÷ 135 = 444.44 ms.

An eighth note triplet is 1/3 of a quarter note, so: MS for eighth note triplet = 444.44 × (1/3) = 148.15 ms.

This calculation tells you that at 135 BPM, each eighth note triplet lasts approximately 148.15 milliseconds. 

How to Convert BPM to MS?

Converting BPM to milliseconds is a straightforward process:

Determine the BPM of your track or the tempo you’re working with.

Decide which note value you want to convert (quarter note, eighth note, etc.).

Apply the BPM to MS formula: MS = (60,000 ÷ BPM) × Note Value.

Let’s work through an example:

Imagine you’re producing a house track at 128 BPM, and you want to set a delay effect that repeats on every eighth note.

BPM = 128

Note Value = 0.5 (because an eighth note is half of a quarter note)

Apply the formula: MS = (60,000 ÷ 128) × 0.5
MS = 468.75 × 0.5
MS = 234.375.

This calculation tells you that at 128 BPM, an eighth note lasts 234.375 milliseconds.

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