BPM counter: tap the tempo
Know the beat but not the number? Tap the button or press the space bar on every beat while the track plays. After four taps the counter shows the tempo in beats per minute.
A pause longer than 2.5 seconds starts a new count. The counter averages the last eight intervals and ignores any interval that is twice as long or half as long as the median, so one missed or doubled tap does not spoil the reading.
Need the BPM of a file?
If you have the track as a file, the key and BPM finder measures the tempo from the rhythm of the whole track and also gives the key and the Camelot code for harmonic mixing. The file stays on our server only while it is analysed.
How to measure BPM by tapping
BPM means beats per minute. Start the track, find the kick or the main pulse and tap on every beat. Four taps are enough for a first reading; eight or more give a steadier number. Tapping on the space bar works too, as long as the focus is not in a text field.
If the reading is off by exactly a factor of two, you are probably tapping eighth notes instead of quarter notes, or the genre is counted in half time. Both numbers describe the same rhythm. A trap beat at 140 BPM feels like 70, and a drum and bass track at 174 BPM feels like 87.
Typical tempos by genre
Hip-hop and trap usually sit at 70 to 100 BPM, or at 140 to 150 when counted in double time. Lo-fi is 70 to 90, pop 100 to 130, house 120 to 128, techno 125 to 140, trance 132 to 140, dubstep 140 (felt as 70), drum and bass 170 to 175, rock 110 to 140, punk 160 to 200, reggae 60 to 90 and ballads 60 to 80. Use these as a guide, not as a rule.
What to do with the BPM
The tempo tells you how to set the project grid, which samples and loops will line up, and how long a delay or an echo should be in note values. If the track came out of a generator with a drifting tempo, a tempo fix can put it on one even grid before you load it into your DAW.
Questions
How do I find the BPM of a song for free?
Press TAP on every beat while the song plays. After four taps the BPM appears. No sign-up and no upload are needed.
How accurate is tap tempo?
The counter shows whole BPM values. It is usually within one or two beats of the true tempo after eight taps. For decimal precision, use the file analysis.
Why does the counter show twice what I expected?
You may be tapping the eighth notes, or the genre is felt in half time. Both readings are correct for the rhythm; pick the one that matches the way you count the bar.
Can I measure the BPM of a beat on my phone?
Yes. Play the beat on the phone and tap the button on this page in the phone browser. The page works on any device with a browser.