Free Online BPM Finder
Drop any audio file below and get the exact BPM (and musical key) in under 5 seconds. No account, no uploads - your file never leaves your device.
Detect BPM Now →What Is BPM?
BPM stands for beats per minute - the standard measurement of musical tempo. A track at 120 BPM has 120 evenly-spaced beats every minute. It's the heartbeat of the song.
DJs, producers, and musicians use BPM to match tracks for mixing, set the energy level of a playlist, and synchronize loops and samples.
BPM Ranges by Genre
Different genres cluster around specific tempos. Use this as a reference when you're checking whether a track fits your set.
| Genre | BPM Range | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Hip-Hop | 70–100 | 90 BPM |
| R&B / Soul | 60–100 | 80 BPM |
| Pop | 100–130 | 120 BPM |
| House | 120–130 | 125 BPM |
| Techno | 130–150 | 140 BPM |
| Drum & Bass | 160–180 | 174 BPM |
| Dubstep | 138–142 | 140 BPM |
| Trap | 130–170 | 140 BPM |
| Reggaeton | 90–100 | 95 BPM |
| Afrobeats | 100–115 | 107 BPM |
Why Use a BPM Finder?
DJ Mixing
Match tempos before mixing two tracks so the transition doesn't create a jarring speed change. Most software beatmatches automatically, but knowing the BPM helps you plan your set.
Loop & Sample Sync
Producers chopping samples need the original BPM to time-stretch loops correctly in Ableton, FL Studio, or Logic without pitch artifacts.
Playlist Building
Build playlists that flow from slow to fast (or stay consistent). Knowing BPMs lets you arrange tracks intentionally instead of guessing.
How BeatKey Detects BPM
BeatKey uses Essentia - an open-source audio analysis library developed by the Music Technology Group at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. It's the same library used in academic music information retrieval (MIR) research.
The process:
- Your browser decodes the audio file using the Web Audio API
- Essentia's RhythmExtractor2013 algorithm analyzes the beat pattern
- The dominant tempo is computed and a confidence score is attached
- Individual beat positions are returned as timestamps
All of this runs locally in WebAssembly - zero server round-trips, instant results.
BeatKey vs Other BPM Finders
| Feature | BeatKey | Most Others |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ✓ | ✓ (with limits) |
| No file upload | ✓ | ✗ |
| Detects Key + BPM | ✓ | Varies |
| Camelot code | ✓ | Rarely |
| Beat timeline | ✓ | ✗ |
| No account required | ✓ | Varies |
| Works offline | ✓ (after load) | ✗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is BeatKey's BPM detection?
Very accurate for music with consistent rhythmic structure - pop, EDM, hip-hop, rock, funk. Tracks with tempo variations, rubato, or irregular rhythms may get an approximation.
Can I find the BPM of a live recording?
Yes. Upload the recording and BeatKey will detect the dominant tempo. Live recordings with significant tempo fluctuations will return the average BPM.
Does BeatKey work with long files?
BeatKey analyzes the first 3–4 minutes of a track for efficiency. For most songs, this is enough to get a reliable BPM reading.
What's half-time and double-time BPM?
Some genres (like hip-hop) can be felt at either the notated BPM or half that value. A 140 BPM trap beat often feels like 70 BPM. BeatKey reports the detected technical BPM - if a result feels double or half the expected value, divide or multiply by 2.