Delay Time Chart by BPM: The Complete Guide (With Formula)
TL;DR: Delay time in milliseconds comes from one simple formula: 60,000 divided by your BPM gives you a quarter note. From there, every other note division is just math. The full chart below covers 60 to 200 BPM in steps of five, with quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, and sixteenth note values already calculated for you. Use the chart when you need a number fast. Use the formula once you want to stop needing the chart at all.
What delay time should you use at your song’s BPM? Grab the chart below, find your tempo, and read the number straight across. No plugin, no calculator, no guesswork.
Want more reference tools like this? Grab my free Mixing and Mastering Cheat Sheet. It is four guides and more than 50 pages of quick, practical references you can keep next to your DAW. Get it free here.
The Delay Time Chart Formula (So You Never Need a Chart Again)
Here is the entire formula in one line:
60,000 ÷ BPM = quarter note delay time in milliseconds.
That single number unlocks everything else. Once you have your quarter note, every other common division is simple:
- Eighth note: quarter note ÷ 2
- Sixteenth note: quarter note ÷ 4
- Dotted eighth: eighth note × 1.5
- Dotted quarter: quarter note × 1.5
Say your track runs at 120 BPM. 60,000 ÷ 120 gives you 500 ms for a quarter note. Half that for an eighth note, and you get 250 ms. That is genuinely all there is to it.
The Complete Delay Time Chart: 60 to 200 BPM
Here is the delay time chart itself, covering every 5 BPM from 60 to 200. Find your tempo, then read straight across for quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, and sixteenth note delay times.
Slow to Mid Tempo: 60-125 BPM
| BPM | 1/4 Note | 1/8 Dotted | 1/8 Note | 1/16 Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 1000 ms | 750 ms | 500 ms | 250 ms |
| 65 | 923 ms | 692 ms | 462 ms | 231 ms |
| 70 | 857 ms | 643 ms | 429 ms | 214 ms |
| 75 | 800 ms | 600 ms | 400 ms | 200 ms |
| 80 | 750 ms | 562 ms | 375 ms | 188 ms |
| 85 | 706 ms | 529 ms | 353 ms | 176 ms |
| 90 | 667 ms | 500 ms | 333 ms | 167 ms |
| 95 | 632 ms | 474 ms | 316 ms | 158 ms |
| 100 | 600 ms | 450 ms | 300 ms | 150 ms |
| 105 | 571 ms | 429 ms | 286 ms | 143 ms |
| 110 | 545 ms | 409 ms | 273 ms | 136 ms |
| 115 | 522 ms | 391 ms | 261 ms | 130 ms |
| 120 | 500 ms | 375 ms | 250 ms | 125 ms |
| 125 | 480 ms | 360 ms | 240 ms | 120 ms |
Mid to Fast Tempo: 130-200 BPM
| BPM | 1/4 Note | 1/8 Dotted | 1/8 Note | 1/16 Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 130 | 462 ms | 346 ms | 231 ms | 115 ms |
| 135 | 444 ms | 333 ms | 222 ms | 111 ms |
| 140 | 429 ms | 321 ms | 214 ms | 107 ms |
| 145 | 414 ms | 310 ms | 207 ms | 103 ms |
| 150 | 400 ms | 300 ms | 200 ms | 100 ms |
| 155 | 387 ms | 290 ms | 194 ms | 97 ms |
| 160 | 375 ms | 281 ms | 188 ms | 94 ms |
| 165 | 364 ms | 273 ms | 182 ms | 91 ms |
| 170 | 353 ms | 265 ms | 176 ms | 88 ms |
| 175 | 343 ms | 257 ms | 171 ms | 86 ms |
| 180 | 333 ms | 250 ms | 167 ms | 83 ms |
| 185 | 324 ms | 243 ms | 162 ms | 81 ms |
| 190 | 316 ms | 237 ms | 158 ms | 79 ms |
| 195 | 308 ms | 231 ms | 154 ms | 77 ms |
| 200 | 300 ms | 225 ms | 150 ms | 75 ms |
Somewhere between two BPM values? Round to the closer one, or plug your exact tempo into the formula above.
Which Delay Time Should You Actually Use?
The chart gives you numbers. Here is what to actually do with them.
- Pop and rock mixes reach for dotted eighth most often. It creates rhythmic movement without feeling robotic.
- Straight eighth: tighter and more predictable. Good for rhythmic vocal doubles or percussive elements that need to sit close to the groove.
- Sixteenth note: subtle, fast repeats. Useful for adding texture without an obvious echo.
- Quarter note: wide and ambient. Works well on pads, synths, or anything meant to feel spacious rather than rhythmic.
None of these are rules. They are starting points. Trust your ears once you land close.
The only delay math you’ll ever need.Why Delay Times That Ignore Tempo Cause Clutter
An untimed delay does not just sound “off.” It actively competes with your groove.
Think about it the same way frequencies compete for space in a mix. I covered that fight in detail in my EQ frequency chart. Delay works the same way, just in time instead of frequency.
A delay that lands off the grid smears into the next beat. It builds up low-mid mush the same way two instruments fighting for the same frequency range do. Sync the delay to tempo, and it locks into the pocket instead of fighting it.
Bonus Tip: Reverb Pre-Delay Uses the Same Math
This formula is not just for delay plugins. Reverb pre-delay benefits from the same tempo-based thinking.
A pre-delay set to a sixteenth or thirty-second note at your song’s BPM keeps the reverb from smearing into the transient of your source. I go deeper into this pairing in my full guide to reverb and delay in mixing.
Key Takeaways
- The core delay time formula is simple: 60,000 ÷ BPM equals your quarter note delay time in milliseconds.
- Every other common division, eighth, sixteenth, dotted, comes from simple math on that one number.
- The chart above covers 60 to 200 BPM in steps of five, so you rarely need to calculate anything by hand.
- Dotted eighth suits spacious mixes, straight eighth suits tight rhythmic parts, and quarter notes suit ambient, wide sounds.
- Delay times that ignore tempo build clutter the same way competing frequencies do; syncing to the grid keeps a mix clean.
Related Articles
- How to Use Reverb and Delay in Mixing. The full technique guide this chart plugs directly into.
- EQ Frequency Chart by Instrument. The same “fighting for space” idea, applied to frequency instead of time.
- Compression Settings by Instrument. Another quick-reference chart worth keeping next to your DAW.
- Sidechain Compression Explained. Another tempo-locked technique that keeps a mix feeling tight.
- How to Improve Your Mixes: 15 Essential Strategies. More practical fixes worth adding to your toolkit.
Ready to Go Deeper?
A chart gets you the right number. Knowing how to actually use that delay inside a full arrangement is a different skill. My Music Production Masterclass walks through exactly that, so effects like delay and reverb support your mix instead of cluttering it.
Your Free Resources: Grab the free Mixing and Mastering Cheat Sheet for four guides and more than 50 pages of practical, no-fluff advice.
About the Author
I am Adrian Milea, a mixing and mastering engineer, producer, and educator with over 25 years of experience. My releases include work on Armada Music, with features in DJ Mag. I still do this exact math on nearly every session, tempo-synced delay is one of those small details that quietly separates a clean mix from a cluttered one. You can find my full range of courses and services at adrianmilea.com.
Until next time, Stay Cool and Make Great Music,
Adrian Milea
Last Updated: September 2026
Divide 60,000 by your song’s BPM to get the quarter note delay time in milliseconds. Every other common division, eighth, sixteenth, or dotted, comes from simple math on that number.
At 120 BPM, a quarter note delay is 500 ms, an eighth note is 250 ms, a dotted eighth is 375 ms, and a sixteenth note is 125 ms.
A dotted eighth delay creates rhythmic movement without feeling robotic or too predictable, which is why it shows up constantly in pop, rock, and guitar-driven mixes.
Yes. Setting reverb pre-delay to a tempo-synced value, often a sixteenth or thirty-second note, keeps the reverb from smearing into the transient of the source.
An untimed delay can clash with the groove and build up unwanted clutter, similar to how two instruments competing for the same frequency range cause problems in a mix.
No. The formula, 60,000 divided by BPM, can be done with basic mental math, and the chart in this guide already covers the most common tempos from 60 to 200 BPM.