BPM counter.

Check your BPM. Resolve half-time and double-time readings.

FILE REFERENCENO UPLOAD
Get a reference BPM to compareor drop a file here · analysis starts automatically

MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG · 10 sec–10 min · Up to 50 MB. Mono or stereo. Use audio you have permission to process.

Already have a tempo from a file or your music software? Compare it with your own count, choose the beat level that fits and use the interval examples below to check the math.

  • Compare a reference with your count
  • Resolve half or double BPM
  • Convert beat intervals to BPM
Check the BPM by tapping
CHECK YOUR REFERENCE

Compare automatic BPM with your own count

Two readings are useful only when they count the same pulse. Compare a steady passage first, then check whether the difference is timing variation or a half-time or double-time interpretation.

Keep your reference number in mind and select Tap the beat above to check it. Need an initial estimate from a recording? Use the automatic BPM finder. For a quick reading of music playing around you, open Tap Tempo.

  1. Start with a reference reading

    Note the BPM from your music software or use the Audio file tab above for a reference estimate. Play a steady passage and decide which pulse you would follow with a metronome.

  2. Compare it with your count

    Switch to Tap the beat and tap the main pulse for several beats. A file preview remains available when you switch tabs. Compare this reading with your reference, allowing for small differences in hand timing.

  3. Resolve the difference and copy

    A reading near 70 against a reference of 140 often means you counted at half time. Use Half or Double on the reading you want to adjust, listen again and copy the value that matches your chosen pulse. Playback speed stays the same.

BPM calculator: turn a beat interval into tempo

Beats per minute tells you how fast a pulse repeats. A steady beat every half second is 120 BPM: 60 seconds divided by 0.5 seconds per beat.

Convert milliseconds to BPM

Divide 60,000 by the beat interval in milliseconds. An interval of 400 ms is 150 BPM; 500 ms is 120 BPM; 750 ms is 80 BPM. Use the gap between consecutive beats, not every note in a busy rhythm.

Convert BPM back to a beat interval

Divide 60,000 by BPM to get milliseconds per beat. At 100 BPM, beats are 600 ms apart; at 125 BPM, they are 480 ms apart. This is the beat spacing you expect when checking a recording against a project grid.

Count intervals, not tap events

Nine consecutive taps span eight beat intervals. If the first and ninth taps are four seconds apart, the average interval is 0.5 seconds and the tempo is 120 BPM. The live counter uses the median of recent intervals to reduce the effect of an uneven tap.

Decide which BPM reading to keep

A small difference: repeat the check

A count of 119 against a reference of 120 can come from hand timing. Count another steady phrase before changing the project tempo, and check that a metronome at your chosen BPM stays aligned.

A two-to-one difference: check the pulse

A reading of 80 against 160 may follow every other beat. Listen through a phrase, then use Half or Double if the other beat level suits your count. A numerical match alone does not confirm the musical pulse.

A drifting difference: check another section

If the beginning and chorus keep giving different readings, the performance may change tempo. Check each passage separately. One BPM cannot describe a tempo map, and averaging the readings can hide the change you need to follow.

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

BPM counter: FAQ

How do I check a BPM value I already have?

Keep the reference value from your DJ software, metronome or file estimate in mind. Open Tap the beat, count along with a steady passage and compare the readings. Small differences can come from hand timing; a reading close to half or twice the reference usually calls for checking which pulse you counted.

How do I calculate BPM from a beat interval?

Divide 60 by the seconds between consecutive beats, or 60,000 by the interval in milliseconds. A 500 ms interval gives 120 BPM; 750 ms gives 80 BPM. Measure beat intervals rather than the gaps between every note. For example, nine consecutive beat taps contain eight intervals.

Why do my taps say 70 BPM when the reference says 140?

You may be following every other beat, while the reference counts the faster pulse. Count through a phrase and choose the beat level that suits your practice or project. Half and Double change the displayed and copied BPM; they do not change the recording or prove which musical interpretation is correct.

What if the readings differ by more than hand timing?

Check the same passage and follow the same beat level before comparing. A fill, a breakdown or a performance that speeds up can produce different readings. Reset and count a steady section again. If the tempo changes, keep separate notes for those sections instead of forcing one BPM onto the whole song.

How does the counter turn my taps into a reading?

It divides 60,000 by the median of up to eight recent beat intervals in milliseconds. Two taps provide the first interval; continuing gives a steadier comparison. A pause longer than four seconds starts a new measurement on your next tap. The result measures your tapping, so listen before treating it as the song tempo.

Is the BPM counter free, and is my audio private?

Both tapping and automatic detection are free, need no account and use no separation allowance. Audio, filenames, tap times and BPM values stay in your browser. Optional usage measurement counts fixed actions such as starting, finding a tempo or copying, and honors browser privacy signals. Clear the file or leave this page to release the local preview.

LISTEN & LEARN

Get more from your tempo reading

Find the pulse, check a tricky reading and choose a practice pace.

LISTEN & LEARN · 6 min readBPM of a Song: Find and Check It in 3 WaysTap the pulse, time a phrase or check a local file. Find a tempo you can use.LISTEN & LEARN · 5 min readWhy Your Tap Tempo Feels Wrong (and How to Fix It)Find the steady pulse behind a jumpy number, a half-speed reading or a busy beat.LISTEN & LEARN · 5 min readTap Tempo vs. Metronome: Which Do You Need?Measure the tempo you hear, then use a metronome to practise at a steady pace.
FROM TEMPO TO PRACTICE

Put that tempo to work.

Make practice tracks from a recording you own or have permission to use. Choose the file on the next page: separation uploads your audio for processing and uses the shared free daily allowance.

Hear the drum part

Isolate the combined drum track from your recording to listen more closely to the rhythm.

Extract drums

Make a backing track

Keep the instrumental for singing practice. Compare it with the original, then save the WAV.

Remove vocals

Play the bass yourself

Prepare a mix without bass, or follow a quiet bass guide while you learn the part.

Make a bass practice track

CHECK THE NUMBER AGAINST THE BEAT

Keep the reading that fits.

Check your BPM