120 BPM metronome
A free online metronome set to 120 beats per minute — one click every 500 ms. Press Start or the space bar; change the time signature, accents and subdivisions below.
Allegro
Space start/stop · ↑ ↓ ±1 BPM · Shift ±10 · T tap
Speed trainer
Practice timer
120 BPM at a glance
- 500 msper beat
- 2.00beats per second
- 2.0 sper bar of 4/4
- Allegrotempo marking
What does 120 BPM feel like?
120 BPM is an upbeat, energetic tempo. At exactly 120 BPM there are two beats per second and each beat lasts 500 ms — the default tempo of most DAWs and the standard quick-march pace of 120 steps per minute.
120 BPM is two beats per second and the default tempo in most DAWs and drum machines.
Music at 120 BPM
Most pop, rock, disco, marches and dance music sits around here. House music is typically 118–130 BPM and many radio pop songs land between 100 and 130 BPM. Classical movements marked Allegretto or Allegro moderato start in this range.
In classical music, 120 BPM falls in the range usually given for Moderato, Allegretto or Allegro. Tempo markings are approximate — see the tempo markings chart.
Note lengths and delay times at 120 BPM
Producers use these values to set delay, reverb pre-delay and LFO times so effects lock to the beat.
| Note | Straight | Dotted | Triplet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half note | 1000 ms | 1500 ms | 667 ms |
| Quarter note (1 beat) | 500 ms | 750 ms | 333 ms |
| Eighth note | 250 ms | 375 ms | 167 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 125 ms | 188 ms | 83.3 ms |
| Thirty-second note | 62.5 ms | 93.8 ms | 41.7 ms |
How long is a bar at 120 BPM?
| Time signature | 1 bar | 8 bars | 32 bars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/4 | 1.0 s | 8.0 s | 32.0 s |
| 3/4 | 1.5 s | 12.0 s | 48.0 s |
| 4/4 | 2.0 s | 16.0 s | 64.0 s |
| 5/4 | 2.5 s | 20.0 s | 80.0 s |
How to practise at 120 BPM
Sixteenth notes at 120 BPM (480 notes per minute) are a solid intermediate benchmark for scales, picking and single-stroke rolls. If you cannot play cleanly here yet, use the speed trainer to start around 84 BPM and climb in small steps.
Half time of 120 BPM is 60 BPM; double time is 240 BPM. If 120 BPM is too fast for a passage, the speed trainer can start lower and climb to 120 automatically.
Slower: 115 BPM · Faster: 125 BPM · All tempos
FAQ
How fast is 120 BPM?
120 BPM is 2.00 beats per second, or one beat every 500 milliseconds. It is a medium-fast tempo, in the range usually marked Moderato or Allegretto or Allegro.
How many milliseconds is one beat at 120 BPM?
One beat (a quarter note) at 120 BPM lasts 500 ms. An eighth note lasts 250 ms and a sixteenth note 125 ms.
How long is a bar of 4/4 at 120 BPM?
A bar of 4/4 at 120 BPM lasts 2.0 s, so there are 30 bars per minute. Eight bars last 16.0 s.
What is half time and double time of 120 BPM?
Half time is 60 BPM and double time is 240 BPM. Music at 120 BPM is often felt at one of these levels too.