280 BPM metronome
Press Play to hear a steady click at 280 BPM, or open one of the drum grooves below at exactly this tempo. One beat lasts 214 ms, so 280 beats fill one minute. 280 BPM falls within Prestissimo (as fast as possible, roughly above 200 BPM).
How long is one beat at 280 BPM?
Divide 60,000 by the tempo: 60,000 ÷ 280 = 214 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) | 857 ms |
| Half note | 429 ms |
| Quarter note (1 beat) | 214 ms |
| Dotted eighth | 161 ms |
| Eighth note | 107 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 71.4 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 53.6 ms |
280 BPM in bars and phrases
A bar of 4/4 at 280 BPM lasts 0.86 seconds. Eight bars take 6.86 seconds, and a 32-bar form takes 27.4 seconds. One minute holds 280 beats, or 70 bars of 4/4.
How fast are subdivisions at 280 BPM?
Eighth notes at 280 BPM run at 9.33 notes per second, triplets at 14 and sixteenth notes at 18.67. 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 280 BPM?
280 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, 280 BPM feels like 140 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 280 BPM
At 280 BPM many players count in half time, feeling 140 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 280.
Drum grooves near 280 BPM
These built-in grooves have default tempos close to 280 BPM: Tony Williams-Style Ride (280). Each link below opens the metronome with that groove at exactly 280 BPM, so you practise the tempo with a real drum part rather than a click.