220 BPM metronome
Press Play to hear a steady click at 220 BPM, or open one of the drum grooves below at exactly this tempo. One beat lasts 273 ms, so 220 beats fill one minute. 220 BPM falls within Prestissimo (as fast as possible, roughly above 200 BPM).
How long is one beat at 220 BPM?
Divide 60,000 by the tempo: 60,000 ÷ 220 = 273 ms per beat. Every other note value follows from that. Producers often set a delay to the dotted eighth or eighth note to keep echoes in time with the track.
| Note value | Length |
|---|---|
| Whole note (4 beats) | 1,091 ms |
| Half note | 545 ms |
| Quarter note (1 beat) | 273 ms |
| Dotted eighth | 205 ms |
| Eighth note | 136 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 90.9 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 68.2 ms |
220 BPM in bars and phrases
A bar of 4/4 at 220 BPM lasts 1.09 seconds. Eight bars take 8.73 seconds, and a 32-bar form takes 34.9 seconds. One minute holds 220 beats, or 55 bars of 4/4.
How fast are subdivisions at 220 BPM?
Eighth notes at 220 BPM run at 7.33 notes per second, triplets at 11 and sixteenth notes at 14.67. Switch on the subdivision you are practising so the click marks every note, then return to quarter notes to check that you keep the spacing on your own.
What tempo marking is 220 BPM?
220 BPM falls within Prestissimo (as fast as possible, roughly above 200 BPM). Treat these ranges as conventions rather than rules: editions and metronome makers print slightly different numbers, and an Italian marking describes character as well as speed.
Half time and double time
Counted in half time, 220 BPM feels like 110 BPM; counted in double time it feels like 400 BPM. When you tap along with a recording and get either number, both describe the same music; choose the pulse that gives you sensible bars and accents.
Practising at 220 BPM
At 220 BPM many players count in half time, feeling 110 BPM with the click on every other beat. Try both. If your technique tightens, drop back to a tempo where you stay relaxed and use Build speed to climb in small steps rather than jumping straight to 220.
Drum grooves near 220 BPM
These built-in grooves have default tempos close to 220 BPM: Bebop Up-Tempo Ride (220). Each link below opens the metronome with that groove at exactly 220 BPM, so you practise the tempo with a real drum part rather than a click.