Music & Audio Tools
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Tap Tempo BPM Counter

Tap or press Space in time with any song to find its tempo in BPM.

Runs in your browserNo sign-up required
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BPM

Tap along for 8 or more beats. A pause of 2 seconds starts over.

How to Use This Tool

  1. 1Play the songListen for the kick drum or the beat you would clap or nod along to.
  2. 2Tap in timeTap the button, or press Space or T on a keyboard, on every beat.
  3. 3Keep going until it says SteadyAfter about 8–16 taps the number stops moving. The flashing dot beats at the tempo found, so you can check it against the song.
  4. 4Use the tempoPlay it on the metronome, or copy the delay times for your DAW. Pause for 2 seconds (or press Esc) to start again.

Tips for an Accurate BPM

  • Tap on the downbeat you feel most strongly, usually the kick drum. If the result feels twice as fast or slow as the music, use the half-time or double-time value; many songs can be felt either way.
  • A missed beat or an accidental double tap is spotted and allowed for, so you don't have to start over.
  • The tempo is worked out from all your recent taps together (a best-fit line through them), not just the last gap, so one early or late tap barely moves it.
  • Taps are timed the moment your finger or key goes down, so the reading doesn't depend on how long you hold.
  • On a laptop, the Space bar is usually steadier than a trackpad click.
  • Delay times: set a delay effect to the 1/4 or dotted 1/8 value to make echoes land on the beat.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is tap tempo?

With 12 or more steady taps it is usually within 1 BPM. Accuracy depends on how evenly you tap: the Steady / Uneven label shows how closely your taps fit a regular beat, and the decimal value shows the exact estimate.

What BPM are most songs?

Most pop and hip-hop is between about 80 and 130 BPM, house around 120–130, drum and bass around 170–175 and ballads often 60–80. Slow songs are often felt at half time, so check both values.

What if I miss a beat or tap twice?

A gap about twice as long as usual is counted as a skipped beat, and a very short gap is ignored as a double tap. The reading stays on track.

How do I start over?

Stop tapping for 2 seconds (longer for very slow songs) and the next tap starts a new count. You can also press Esc or the Start over button.

What are the delay times for?

Producers set delay and reverb times in milliseconds so the echoes land on the beat. The table lists common note lengths at the tempo you tapped: quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, eighth triplet and sixteenth notes.

Is it free?

Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up and nothing to install.