A 120 BPM pulse
Tap once every half second. The average interval is 500 milliseconds, so the calculation gives 60,000 ÷ 500 = 120 beats per minute.
Beats per minute
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Tap at least twice to begin
Tap the pad, press T, or press Space while focused on the page. A focused button also works with Space or Enter. Hold-to-repeat is ignored. Escape resets the current sequence.
0 recent taps
— mean beat interval
— interval variation
The average uses up to 16 recent intervals. A pause longer than 5 seconds starts a new sequence and saves the previous one if it had at least four taps. Taps closer than 100 ms are ignored.
Session history
Save a reading after four taps. Up to eight readings stay here until you clear them or leave the page.
No audio input is used. Tap measurements and up to eight saved readings are kept in page memory.
How to use the Tap Tempo
- 01
Play your music separately and find a regular pulse. Tap the large pad or press T in time with each beat. Space also works while the page or pad is focused.
- 02
Keep tapping for several beats. A first estimate appears after two taps; the stability indicator appears after four. Eight or more steady taps usually make the estimate easier to judge.
- 03
Copy the BPM or save a reading to session history. Reset starts fresh while keeping saved readings. A pause longer than five seconds automatically starts a new sequence.
Examples
Choosing half-time or double-time
If a song feels like 70 BPM but you tap an eighth-note pulse at 140, use the half-time reading. If you tap once every two beats, the double-time reading may match the intended beat.
Comparing song sections
Tap the verse for several beats and save it. Reset, tap the chorus, and save again. The history holds up to eight readings so you can compare their BPM and interval variation.
How the BPM estimate is calculated
The tool measures the elapsed time between successive accepted taps and averages up to the latest 16 intervals. BPM equals 60,000 divided by the average interval in milliseconds. A rolling average smooths small timing differences while allowing a new tempo to replace older taps gradually.
What interval variation means
Variation is the standard deviation of the recent intervals divided by their mean, expressed as a percentage. Lower values mean your taps were more evenly spaced. Under 3% is labeled steady, 3% to under 8% shows some variation, and 8% or more is labeled uneven. These labels describe consistency, not musical correctness.
Handling pauses and accidental taps
An interval below 100 milliseconds is treated as a duplicate and ignored. A gap longer than five seconds begins a new sequence and saves the previous estimate if it contained at least four taps. Those rules give a practical interval range of 12–600 BPM. Reset before changing songs to avoid blending different tempos.
What to know
- Manual timing estimates only. Very fast duplicate taps and gaps longer than five seconds are handled as described above.
Common questions
Does this listen to my microphone?
No. It measures the timing of your taps only. Play music through any separate player and tap along manually.
Why does the BPM move around?
Human taps vary slightly. Keep a steady pulse for several beats, watch the variation percentage, and reset if you miss a beat or change songs.
Can this detect a song’s exact BPM?
It provides a manual estimate, not automatic audio analysis. Your chosen beat subdivision and tapping accuracy determine the result.
Which keyboard shortcuts work?
T taps the beat. Space works on the page or a focused button, and Enter activates a focused button. Escape resets the sequence. Typing inside form fields does not trigger the global tap shortcut.
Will my saved readings be here later?
The history lasts for the current page session. Reloading, leaving the page, or choosing Clear tempo and history removes it.