Online Tool Store
Note Length Table
Convert musical note values into milliseconds and hertz at a given tempo, for setting delays, LFOs, and gate times in time with a track.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Audio
Note Length Table
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Note lengths
At 120 BPM: quarter note 500 ms, eighth 250 ms, dotted eighth 375 ms, eighth triplet 166.7 ms — the dotted eighth is the classic rhythmic delay setting.
How the Note Length Table works
- Enter the track's tempo.
- Read the value you need — quarter, eighth, dotted, or triplet.
- Enter the milliseconds into your delay or LFO, and remember analogue-modelled units may drift slightly from the exact figure.
The method
A quarter note lasts sixty seconds divided by the tempo, and every other value is a simple multiple of it.
quarter note ms = 60,000 / BPM; dotted = x1.5; triplet = x2/3
At 120 BPM a quarter note is 500 ms, an eighth 250 ms, a dotted eighth 375 ms — the setting behind most rhythmic guitar delays.
FAQ
Why is the dotted eighth used for delay so often?
Because its repeats fall between the eighth-note grid, creating a cross-rhythm against the beat rather than doubling it. It is the sound of a great deal of stadium rock.
How do I convert milliseconds to hertz for an LFO?
Divide 1000 by the length in milliseconds. A 500 ms cycle is 2 Hz, which is a quarter-note LFO at 120 BPM.
Does this work for tempo-synced plugins?
Those sync automatically. The table matters for hardware, for plugins with no host sync, and for checking that a synced unit is doing what you expect.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | A DAW | A streaming app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dotted and triplet values | ✓ | Manual | Yes |
| Millisecond and Hz output | ✓ | ✗ | Sometimes |
| No plugin needed | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works offline once loaded | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Note Length Table is a quick reference for hardware and unsynced plugins — dotted and triplet values included, since those are the ones worth looking up.