Convert musical tempo to cycles per second. It is designed for synth programmers synchronizing LFOs, tremolo, modulation and control signals.
The calculation in one line
Decide whether one oscillator cycle should span a beat, bar or subdivision before entering the frequency in a synth.
Worked example
120 BPM equals 2 Hz for quarter-note modulation; eighth-note modulation at the same tempo is 4 Hz.
How do I synchronize an LFO to bars?
Convert BPM to beat frequency, then divide by the number of beats per desired cycle. At 120 BPM the beat rate is 2 Hz. One four-beat cycle therefore runs at 0.5 Hz; an eighth-note cycle runs at 4 Hz.
Three checks before using the answer
- Determine cycles per beat or beats per cycle.
- Check whether the synth already applies host sync.
- Restart phase if modulation must align with the downbeat.
A detail that changes the interpretation
A correct frequency does not guarantee phase alignment. Two 2 Hz oscillators can peak at different moments.
Most common mistake
Doubling the BPM and then doubling the subdivision again, producing modulation four times faster than intended.
Where the calculation stops
Some instruments label rate by note value and apply host sync internally, so a manual Hz value may be unnecessary.
Research note
The Web Audio specification distinguishes frequency values from the scheduling time used to align events. Read MDN’s Web Audio API overview. External documentation supports the technical context; its publishers do not endorse PulseKit.
Questions musicians ask
Who is this bpm to hz calculator for?
It is intended for synth programmers synchronizing LFOs, tremolo, modulation and control signals.
What should I listen for after calculating?
Decide whether one oscillator cycle should span a beat, bar or subdivision before entering the frequency in a synth.
Can the result be technically correct but musically wrong?
Yes. Some instruments label rate by note value and apply host sync internally, so a manual Hz value may be unnecessary.
Inputs stay on this device. Display rounding never changes the underlying formula.