Music · Tempo
Tap tempo BPM counter.
Tap along with a song, a drummer or your own pulse and read the tempo in beats per minute. No tapping handy? Count beats over a few seconds instead.
Your numbers
Result
Fill the form to see the result.
How does a tap tempo counter work?
Tempo in beats per minute is 60,000 divided by the time between beats in milliseconds. This tool takes the time from your first tap to your latest tap and divides it by the number of gaps between them, which averages out small timing wobbles. It also shows a median reading from the individual gaps, which is less thrown off by one mistimed tap, and keeps the last 16 taps so an early slip drops out.
Worked example. Five taps spaced 500 ms apart make four gaps of 500 ms, and 60,000 ÷ 500 = 120 BPM. With the beat-count method, 30 beats counted over 15 seconds is 30 ÷ 15 × 60 = 120 BPM as well.
Half time and double time. Listeners often tap twice as fast or half as fast as the notated pulse, so the page also shows the tempo at half and double speed. Pick the one that matches the feel of the song. Tapping by hand is accurate to a few BPM at best; a longer count over a steady passage gives a better number.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the BPM of a song by tapping?
Press the button (or T or the space bar) on every beat for at least 8 to 10 beats. The BPM shown is 60,000 divided by the average gap between your taps in milliseconds.
How many taps do I need?
At least two to get a number, but 8 to 16 taps on a steady section of the song give a steadier reading. The page keeps your last 16 taps.
Why is my tap tempo double or half the real tempo?
People often feel the pulse at twice or half the notated tempo. Use the half time and double time readings and choose the one that matches how the song is counted.
Can I find the BPM without tapping?
Yes. Count the beats you hear over a timed window and enter the beats and seconds. BPM = beats divided by seconds times 60.
What does the 3 second pause do?
If you stop for more than 3 seconds the next tap starts a new count, so you do not need to press reset between songs.
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