Delay and Reverb Time Calculator
Turn a song's tempo into delay times, LFO rates, pre-delay and decay times. Includes tap tempo. Free with an account.
Delay and Reverb Calculator is part of the Studio section of Music Manager Resource.
Related
Why time effects to the tempo
An effect that follows the tempo tends to sit inside the groove instead of fighting it. A delay set to a musical note length can make a part feel wider or busier without clouding it, and a reverb that clears before the next beat can leave room for what comes next. None of this is compulsory, and many great mixes ignore it, but it is a useful place to start.
How the sums work
One beat lasts 60,000 divided by the tempo, in milliseconds. At 120 BPM that gives 500 ms for a quarter note. An eighth note is half of that, at 250 ms. A dotted note is one and a half times as long, and a triplet is two thirds as long. This tool works all of that out at once, and shows the same lengths as an LFO rate in hertz for tremolo or modulation effects.
Pre-delay and decay
Pre-delay is the short gap before a reverb starts. A little can help a vocal stay clear and upfront, because the dry sound arrives before the reverb washes over it. Decay is how long the reverb takes to fade. The table suggests values that finish on a musical point, with the pre-delay and decay adding up to a set number of beats. Different reverb units measure decay in different ways, so treat these as starting points.
Using these numbers
Most modern plug-ins can sync to the session tempo, which is the easiest route when the option exists. This table helps with hardware units, plug-ins without sync, or when you want a time slightly off the grid. Try moving a delay a few milliseconds early or late to push or relax the feel, and listen to what happens.
How to use this tool
Type the tempo or use Tap tempo in time with the track, and read the times from the tables. If you do not know the tempo, our Tempo Finder can also help. Above all, use your ears. If a setting sounds right but disagrees with the table, the table is wrong for that song.