How to find the BPM of a song
- To tap, stay on the Tap tab and hit the TAP button or press Space in time with the beat.
- Keep tapping for 10 to 20 beats; the average BPM, the latest beat and the rounded value update as you go.
- To analyze a track, switch to Analyze a file and drop in an MP3, WAV, M4A or other audio file.
- Read the detected BPM, plus the half and double values and alternative candidates with confidence bars.
- Click Play with click track to hear a woodblock on each detected beat and confirm the tempo.
What you can do with BPM Tap Tempo & Detector
- Tap tempo counter
- Shows the average BPM to one decimal, the instant BPM of your last tap and a rounded value. A two-second pause starts a new count.
- Automatic BPM detection
- Finds note onsets in the file and combines an interval histogram with autocorrelation to estimate the tempo, all in your browser.
- Half and double values
- Shows half and double tempo next to the result, since many songs can be felt at either speed.
- Ranked candidates
- Up to four alternative tempos with confidence bars help when a track has a tricky or syncopated rhythm.
- Click-track check
- Plays the song with a woodblock click aligned to the detected beat, accented every four beats, so you can verify by ear.
- Keyboard friendly
- Press Space to tap, so you can keep your eyes on the music, your DJ software or your DAW while counting.
Tap tempo vs automatic BPM detection
Knowing a song's BPM helps DJs match tracks for mixing, producers set a project tempo for remixes and samples, runners pick music that matches their cadence, and video editors cut to the beat. Tapping is quickest when you can hear the song anywhere, even playing on another device, and tapping 15 or more beats usually gets you within 1 BPM. File detection is better for an exact value to a decimal, and on electronic music with a steady kick drum it's typically very accurate.
Automatic detection folds every result into the 80 to 160 BPM range, where most songs sit. That means a slow ballad at 70 BPM may be reported as 140, and drum and bass at 174 as 87. Check the Half and Double chips and use the click track to hear which one matches the feel. Tracks with tempo changes, rubato or no clear percussion, such as solo piano or ambient music, are harder to analyze, so tapping is the better choice there. The file needs at least a few seconds of audio.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the BPM of a song?
Either tap along: press the TAP button or Space on every beat while the song plays, and read the average after 10 or more taps. Or switch to Analyze a file, drop in the track, and the BPM finder detects the tempo automatically.
How accurate is the BPM detector?
For music with a steady beat, such as pop, house, hip-hop and rock, the result is usually within a fraction of a BPM. The most common mistake is reporting half or double the real tempo, which is why those values and a click track are shown so you can check by ear.
Is my song uploaded for analysis?
No. The file is decoded and analyzed by JavaScript in your browser, and nothing is sent to a server. You can safely check the tempo of unreleased tracks, stems or private DJ mixes.
Can I find the BPM of a song on Spotify or YouTube?
Yes, by tapping along while it plays in another tab or on another device; tap tempo doesn't need the file. Automatic detection needs an audio file saved on your device, such as an MP3, WAV or M4A.
Why does it say 140 when the song feels like 70?
Automatic detection reports tempos between 80 and 160 BPM, so slow songs are doubled into that range and very fast ones are halved. Use the Half or Double value shown under the result, whichever matches how you would count or dance to the song.