0 BPM
Pause for seconds to reset.
Tap Tempo Calculator Instructions
Follow these simple steps to find the tempo of the song you are listening to:
- Play the song
- Click the button in time to the song
The tempo of the song will be calculated for you.
If you want to use a different tempo, make sure you press “reset”.
If the tempo is not what you expect, press “reset”.
Considerations When Calculating the Tempo
If you are struggling to click the button in time to the song you are listening to, try listening closely to what the drum kit is doing.
Listen in particular to the kick and the snare in the drum kit – it is usually these two pieces of the drum kit that are used to count the basic beat / tempo of a song.
This is how the kick and snare in a drum kit are usually notated:
As you can see, the kick is usually written on the first line, and the snare drum is usually written on the 4th space.
Some music programs write the snare on the 3rd line, rather than the 4th space like we have written here – so it’s good to make sure you understand the notation or digital audio workstation that you are using.
Unfortunately some music programs like to display the same thing in different ways. A great example of this is the three different ways music notation and DAWs display middle C on guitar.
The kick and the snare usually alternate, doing the basic count of the song.
So, if you can listen to the kick and snare, you should be able to figure out the basic beat of the song and count along like this:
As simple as this may sound, this is how the vasty majority of rock and metal music works, so if you can listen for the kick and snare, you will be able to figure out the tempo quite easily.
FAQ
What are other names for a tap tempo calculator?
Some people refer to this as a bpm tapper, bpm counter, tempo finder tap, bpm finder, bpm finder tap, bpm tap finder. It doesn’t matter too much what you call it.
How do a find a song tempo using this tool?
Listen to the song and tap along to the beat. Once you have figured out the beat, click the button in time to the song and the calculator will work out your tempo (sometimes referred to as bpm values).
If you are struggling to hear the beat, read the brief section about listening to drum beats.
How accurate do I have to be?
You have to be fairly accurate to get an accurate tempo. But you would be surprised at how accurately most people can do this without any special musical training. Most people can tap in time to a song accurately within a fraction of a second. You would probably struggle to do it badly enough to be a few seconds out of time!
What sort of time difference does the tempo make?
The tempo affects how slow or fast a song is. It’s very important to know this number accurately as it sets the pace of the music.
Can I upload audio files to make this work?
I’m afraid not, you’ll have to listen and figure out the beat yourself – which is a good test for your musical skills! I may make a version in the future where you can upload an audio file, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.