BPM stands for beats per minute — the unit of measurement for tempo in music. It tells you exactly how fast a piece of music moves: a track at 80 BPM has 80 quarter-note beats per minute, while a track at 140 BPM moves almost twice as fast. BPM is one of the first decisions a producer makes when starting a project. It determines everything from how a drum loop feels to whether a sample from another source will timestretch cleanly into your session.
What BPM Actually Measures
A "beat" in the context of BPM refers to the quarter note — the basic pulse unit in 4/4 time, which is the time signature used in the vast majority of popular music. At 120 BPM, there are 120 quarter notes per minute, which works out to exactly two beats per second. Your metronome ticks twice every second. Your kick drum (in most electronic music) hits on beats 1 and 3 of each bar — twice every bar at a rate of 2 bars per second.
This matters practically because it's the clock your entire DAW runs on. Every element in your session — MIDI notes, audio loops, automation — is locked to this grid. When you set your project BPM, you're setting the speed of everything.
BPM vs. Tempo
"Tempo" and "BPM" are used interchangeably in everyday production conversation, but they have technically different meanings. Tempo is the broader concept — the speed of a piece of music. BPM is the specific unit used to measure it. Saying a track has a "fast tempo" is a description; saying it's at "140 BPM" is a measurement. In practice, most producers just say BPM and mean both.
Tap Tempo
If you've got a reference track but don't know its BPM, tap tempo is the fastest way to find it. Every major DAW has a tap tempo function — tap a key in time with the beat several times, and the DAW averages your taps and sets the project BPM accordingly. You can also use online tap tempo tools, or use your DAW's beat detection when you import a reference audio file.
BPM Ranges by Genre
Different genres have settled into characteristic BPM ranges over time. These aren't strict rules — producers push boundaries constantly — but they're reliable starting points when you're beginning a project in a specific style.
| Genre | Typical BPM Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lo-Fi Hip-Hop | 70–90 BPM | Slow, relaxed; often feels even slower due to swung rhythms |
| R&B / Soul | 60–100 BPM | Wide range; ballads down to 60, uptempo R&B approaches 100 |
| Hip-Hop | 80–115 BPM | Boom bap typically 85–95; modern melodic hip-hop up to 115 |
| Pop | 100–130 BPM | Energetic and accessible; upbeat pop sits around 120 |
| House / Deep House | 120–130 BPM | The classic "four on the floor" dance music range |
| Trap | 130–170 BPM | Written at double-time; actual groove feels like 65–85 BPM |
| Drum & Bass | 160–180 BPM | Fast drums, often with half-time sub-bass movement |
| Ambient / Cinematic | Variable or none | Often unclocked or very slow; texture-based rather than beat-based |
Trap and the Double-Time Illusion
Trap music deserves special attention here because the BPM number is genuinely confusing for new producers. Trap is typically written at 130–170 BPM — but it feels like it's moving at half that speed. The reason is that the hi-hat patterns and melodic movement are written at double-time (fast), while the kick and snare pattern and overall groove move at what your ear reads as the "actual" tempo. A trap track at 140 BPM feels like it's grooving at 70 BPM. This is intentional — it creates that signature heavy, loping quality. If you're matching a trap reference track, double-check whether the producer wrote it at double-time before assuming the BPM is wrong.
Half-Time and Double-Time Feels
BPM and "feel" are not the same thing. Two tracks at the same BPM can feel entirely different depending on where the accents land and how the groove is subdivided.
Double-Time
When a groove emphasizes subdivisions at twice the pulse rate, it creates a double-time feel — the music seems to move faster than the BPM suggests. A hi-hat pattern running sixteenth notes at 90 BPM will feel frenetic compared to one running quarter notes. Trap production exploits this: extremely fast hi-hat rolls and melodic movement create a hyperactive surface over a heavy, slow-feeling kick pattern.
Half-Time
When the snare — which typically falls on beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time — is moved to only beat 3, the whole groove slows down in feel without actually changing BPM. This is the half-time feel ubiquitous in trap, hip-hop, and certain styles of EDM. A project at 140 BPM with a half-time snare pattern grooves like it's at 70 BPM. This technique is how producers achieve that heavy, deliberate low-end feel at technically high tempos.
Why This Matters for Sample and MIDI Selection
When you're browsing sample packs or MIDI packs, pay attention to the labeled BPM and how the loop actually feels. A drum loop labeled "90 BPM" in a trap pack might have a double-time hi-hat pattern that makes it feel much more energetic than a standard boom bap loop at the same tempo. Trust your ear as much as the number.
How to Set BPM in Your DAW
Every major DAW displays the project BPM prominently — usually in the transport bar at the top of the screen. Here's a brief overview across the most common platforms:
FL Studio
The tempo control is in the top toolbar, displayed as a large BPM number. Click and drag up or down to change it, or right-click and type in a value directly. FL Studio also has a tap tempo button in the toolbar (the "Tap" button next to the BPM display).
Ableton Live
BPM is in the upper left of the toolbar, next to the time signature display. Click the number and type a new value, or use the up/down arrows to nudge it. Ableton also includes a tap tempo button (the small circle next to the BPM). In Arrangement view, you can automate BPM changes using the master tempo automation lane.
Logic Pro
The tempo is displayed in the LCD display at the top of the interface. Double-click the number to type a value. Logic's Tempo Track lets you create tempo automation across the entire project — useful for tracks with buildups, breakdowns, or ritardandos.
GarageBand
The tempo slider is in the LCD display at the top of the screen. Tap "Tap Tempo" in the same area to set BPM by tapping in time.
MIDI Packs and BPM
One of the most practical advantages of MIDI over audio samples is that MIDI files contain no audio — they're just note data. When you import a MIDI pack chord progression or melody into your DAW, it plays at whatever BPM your project is set to automatically. There's no timestretching, no quality degradation, no artifacts. Change the project BPM, and the MIDI adapts instantly. This is a core advantage over audio loops, which require processing to timestretch into a different tempo.
Why BPM Matters More Than You Might Think
BPM isn't just a technical setting — it shapes the emotional and physical experience of your music in ways that go beyond "fast" or "slow."
Energy and Physical Response
Faster tempos elevate energy, heart rate, and urgency. Slower tempos create space, introspection, and weight. The same chord progression played at 75 BPM and 125 BPM are practically different compositions — the harmonic ideas that work beautifully at 75 BPM (with time for each chord to breathe and resonate) may feel rushed or static at 125 BPM where they're cycling twice as fast.
Genre Identity
BPM is part of how listeners identify genre before any other element. The four-on-the-floor kick at 128 BPM signals house music. The slow-motion drum break at 80 BPM signals lo-fi. Getting BPM right is part of being genre-credible — straying too far from established ranges creates a mismatch between what listeners expect and what they hear.
Sample and Loop Compatibility
When combining audio loops from different sources, matching BPM is the first step. Loops timestretched beyond roughly 10–15% of their original tempo start to show artifacts — pitch-shifting, smearing, or a phased, watery quality. Choosing loops close to your target BPM minimizes this. It's one reason producers often start a project by setting BPM before browsing samples.
Genre-Specific MIDI Packs — Built for the Right BPM
MusicCreator's MIDI packs are organized by genre — and each genre's packs are designed with that genre's characteristic tempo range in mind. Whether you're building lo-fi at 85 BPM or trap at 140 BPM, the chord progressions and melodies are voiced and structured to work in that rhythmic context.
- 3,600+ progressions designed for 70–90 BPM lo-fi and chillhop production
- Jazz-influenced extended voicings — 7ths, 9ths, and beyond
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
- 3,600+ progressions built for 80–115 BPM hip-hop production
- From classic boom bap to modern melodic rap vibes
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
- 3,600+ progressions for trap production at 130–170 BPM
- Dark minor voicings built for hard-hitting, double-time production
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
House & Deep House MIDI Chord Pack — $47
- 3,600+ progressions built for 120–130 BPM four-on-the-floor production
- Soulful, gospel-influenced, and hypnotic house harmonies
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
- 3,600+ progressions for 100–130 BPM pop production
- Radio-ready major and minor progressions — energetic and emotionally direct
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
- 3,600+ progressions for 60–100 BPM R&B and soul production
- Lush extended voicings — warm, intimate, emotionally rich
- All 12 keys · 100% royalty-free
Try Before You Buy
Download a free pack and test it in your DAW at your target BPM:
- Hip-Hop & Trap Free MIDI Pack — works at 80–170 BPM
- Beautiful Free MIDI Chord Progressions — tempo-flexible, great for lo-fi and pop
- Grooves Free MIDI Pack — rhythmic progressions for multiple genres
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BPM mean in music?
BPM stands for beats per minute — the measurement of tempo, or how fast a piece of music moves. In 4/4 time (the most common time signature in popular music), one beat equals one quarter note. A track at 120 BPM has 120 quarter-note beats per minute — exactly two beats per second. BPM is the clock your entire DAW runs on, and it determines the speed of every MIDI note, audio loop, and automation event in your session.
What BPM should I use for hip-hop?
Hip-hop generally sits between 80 and 115 BPM. Classic boom bap tends toward 85–95 BPM, giving each bar space and weight. Modern melodic hip-hop and lo-fi hip-hop often runs 70–100 BPM. Trap — which is technically in the hip-hop family — is written at 130–170 BPM in double-time, but grooves like 65–85 BPM due to the half-time snare placement. If you're new to hip-hop production, starting at 90 BPM is a solid reference point and lets you audition a wide range of loops and MIDI content.
Does BPM matter for MIDI packs?
MIDI packs contain note data, not audio — so they automatically follow your project BPM with no timestretching needed. Change your BPM and every MIDI file in your session adjusts instantly with zero quality loss. This is one of the practical advantages MIDI has over audio loops, which require processing to adapt to different tempos. When buying MIDI packs, the BPM consideration is less about technical compatibility and more about whether the progressions were written in a style that suits your target tempo range.
What is half-time and how does it relate to BPM?
Half-time is a rhythmic feel where the snare drum — which normally falls on beats 2 and 4 in standard time — is moved to only beat 3. This makes the groove feel as though it's moving at half the project BPM, even though the clock hasn't changed. Trap music is the clearest example: a track written at 140 BPM with half-time drums grooves like it's at 70 BPM. Half-time creates a heavy, deliberate quality that works particularly well for trap, dark hip-hop, and some forms of electronic music.
How do I find the BPM of a song?
The fastest methods are: tap tempo (tap along to the beat in your DAW's tap tempo function for a few bars and it will calculate the BPM), or use a dedicated BPM detection tool like the one in Ableton Live's Arrangement View, which can analyze imported audio. Online tools like song.link or dedicated BPM analyzer apps also work well. Many music streaming services — Spotify, Apple Music — display BPM data for tracks in their metadata. If you're using a reference track to match tempo, importing it into Ableton or Logic and using their beat detection features is the most reliable approach.
