Delay & Reverb Time Calculator
Delay & Reverb Time Calculator
Type your BPM. Get every delay time in milliseconds and Hz, plus reverb pre-delay and decay settings that lock to your track. No math. No guessing.
Reverb Time
| Reverb size | Pre-delay | Decay | Total |
|---|
Pre-delay is the gap before the tail. Decay fills the rest of the total reverb time (RT60). Click any value to copy it.
Delay Time
| Note | Normal | Dotted | Triplet |
|---|
Normal = straight. Dotted = wider bounce. Triplet = rolling feel. Click any value to copy the milliseconds.
What this delay & reverb calculator does
Set your delay and reverb to the tempo of your track in seconds. Type your BPM once and you get tempo-synced delay times for every note value — in milliseconds and Hz — plus reverb pre-delay and decay settings that sit right in the pocket. Stop pausing the session to do mental math, and stop guessing at numbers that almost fit.
Call it a delay time calculator, a reverb time calculator, or a BPM-to-ms chart — it turns your tempo into exact effect times for any DAW, plugin or guitar pedal.
How to use it
- Enter your BPM. Type it, drag the slider, hit a preset, or use the Tap button to find the tempo by ear. Your DAW shows the project tempo in the transport bar.
- Grab your delay time. Pick a note value. Use Normal for straight timing, Dotted for a wide bounce, Triplet for a rolling feel. Copy the ms (or the Hz) into your delay.
- Dial your reverb. Match the room size to your section, then use the pre-delay and decay it gives you. Bigger space, longer tail.
How to calculate reverb pre-delay and decay
Pre-delay is the short gap before the reverb tail starts. Our ears expect that gap, so getting it right makes a reverb sound natural instead of glued on. The calculator hands you a musical pre-delay (a small note value) and a decay that fills the rest of the total reverb time. Total reverb time is the RT60 — how long the tail takes to drop 60 dB. Nudge a few ms either way to push or pull the groove.
Delay times for depth and movement
Short, tempo-synced delays add depth you feel but barely hear. Longer ones add movement that becomes part of the arrangement. Try three delays at different note values panned left, center and right — dotted and triplet values are where it gets interesting. Playing guitar pedals that take a delay in milliseconds? This is for you too.
Tune your LFO and mod FX to the tempo
The Hz column is not just for delay. Drop those values into an LFO to get tremolo, vibrato, auto-pan or filter sweeps that lock to the beat instead of drifting against it.
Pro tips for tempo-synced reverb
Tune a room reverb to the snare so the tail dies just before the next hit. In 4/4 with the snare on 2 and 4, start from the 1/2-note total. Clean it up with a low cut and a high cut on the reverb return. For extra space without mud, sidechain the reverb to its source so it ducks while the part plays and blooms in the gaps. The numbers are a starting point, not a rulebook — use your ears, because the only thing that matters is that the track sounds good.
Delay & reverb calculator FAQ
How do I sync delay to BPM?
Enter your song tempo above and read the Normal column for straight delay times in milliseconds. Type that value into your delay plugin (or your pedal). Dotted and triplet columns give you the same beat with a different feel.
How do you calculate delay time from BPM?
Delay time in milliseconds for a 1/4 note = 60000 / BPM. Halve it for a 1/8 note, halve again for a 1/16, and so on. Multiply a normal value by 1.5 for dotted, or by 2/3 for triplet. The calculator above does all of it instantly.
What delay time should I use at 120 BPM?
At 120 BPM a 1/4-note delay is 500 ms, a 1/8 note is 250 ms, and a 1/16 note is 125 ms. For a wider feel, try the dotted 1/8 at 375 ms. Change the BPM above and every value updates live.
What is reverb pre-delay and what should I set it to?
Pre-delay is the gap between the dry sound and the start of the reverb tail. A tempo-synced pre-delay (like the values above) keeps vocals and instruments clear while the reverb still feels connected to the beat. Start with the suggested value, then tune to taste.
What is the difference between dotted and triplet notes?
A dotted note is 1.5x the length of the normal note, giving a wide, spacious bounce. A triplet is 2/3 of the normal note, giving a faster, rolling swing. Both are calculated for you in the table above.
What are the Hz values for?
Hz is just the delay time expressed as a frequency (1000 / ms). Use it to set tempo-locked LFOs, tremolo, auto-pan and other modulation that you would rather dial in by frequency.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, free forever. The paid upgrade is the plugin that does all of this inside your DAW automatically — no tab-switching, no copy-paste.
Want this running inside your DAW?
This page is the free version. The plugin does the same job right on your track — it reads your project tempo and sets perfect delay and reverb times automatically. Pro studio timing, bedroom-friendly.
You are working at 120 BPM — that is 500 ms on a 1/4 note. Let the plugin lock it in for you.
Real sauce. No fluff.