BPM by genre: a tempo cheat sheet for every style
Most genres cluster in a predictable BPM (beats per minute) range: hip-hop around 80-95, pop around 100-125, house around 120-130, techno around 125-145, and drum and bass around 170-175. Pick a tempo inside your genre's range, type it into the transport bar of the Tracks browser studio, and your drums, bass, and melodies will feel right from the first bar.
BPM ranges by genre
These are common ranges, not rules. Plenty of great tracks sit outside them, but starting inside the range is the fastest way to get a groove that sounds like the style you are aiming for.
| Genre | Typical BPM | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hip-hop / boom bap | 80-95 | Often played at 85-95; see boom bap |
| Lo-fi hip-hop | 70-90 | Slow and loose, with swing |
| R&B | 60-90 | Often written half-time |
| Reggae | 60-90 | Roots reggae sits near 70 |
| Trap | 130-170 | Written at 140-160 but felt half-time at 70-85 |
| Drill | 138-150 | Slides and 808s over a half-time feel |
| Pop | 100-130 | Most hits land 100-125 |
| Disco | 110-130 | Four-on-the-floor around 120 |
| House | 118-130 | 124-128 is the sweet spot |
| Techno | 125-145 | Faster and harder as it gets darker |
| Trance | 128-140 | Long builds, most near 138 |
| Dubstep | 138-142 | Felt half-time at 70 |
| Drum and bass | 160-180 | 174 is the common anchor |
| Jungle | 160-170 | Chopped breaks |
| Hardstyle | 150-160 | Distorted, pitched kicks |
| Reggaeton | 90-100 | The dembow rhythm |
| Afrobeats | 95-115 | Syncopated percussion |
| Amapiano | 110-115 | Log drum bass lines |
| Synthwave | 80-118 | Wide range; often about 100 |
| Ambient | 60-90, or no beat | Often no strict pulse |
What BPM actually means
BPM is the number of beats in one minute. At 120 BPM, a beat lasts half a second, so a four-beat bar lasts two seconds. Higher BPM means a faster pulse; it does not by itself make a track sound busier or more energetic. Hi-hats, bass rhythm, and arrangement do most of that work.
Half-time and double-time: why trap and dubstep seem to have two tempos
A trap beat written at 140 BPM often feels like it is moving at 70, because the snare lands only once every two beats instead of on beats two and four. Producers call this half-time. The grid still runs at 140, so hi-hats can roll at a fast pace while the groove feels slow and heavy.
Double-time is the reverse: the same chord changes and melody, but drums doubled so the track feels twice as fast. If a song sits between two genre ranges, try halving or doubling the BPM before you decide the tempo is wrong. 140 BPM trap and 70 BPM boom bap can share the same grid; only the drum placement changes.
How to choose a BPM for your track
Start with the feel, not the number
Decide whether you want people to nod, walk, or dance. Nodding lives at 70-95, walking at 95-120, dancing at 120-135. Then narrow down within that band by ear.
Match the genre, then nudge
Pick a number from the table, build your drums, and play the loop for a minute. If it drags, go up 2-4 BPM; if it feels rushed, go down. Small changes matter more than they look: moving from 120 to 124 BPM is audible on a dance floor.
Think about your sounds
Long, ringing 808 notes need more room, so they suit slower tempos or half-time. Short, punchy kicks and fast hi-hats work at higher tempos. If you plan to sing or rap, make sure the tempo leaves space for the words. See how to make a beat for a rap song for an example.
How to set the BPM in Tracks
- Open the studio and find the BPM field in the transport bar.
- Type the tempo you chose before you program any drums or record anything, so everything you build lines up to it.
- Program a short drum pattern and loop it. If it feels off, adjust the BPM and listen again.
- If one section needs a different speed, add a change on the tempo map. See how to change tempo mid-song.
Notes and step patterns are stored in bars and beats, so changing the BPM later keeps them in time with each other. Recorded audio is different: it stays at the speed it was recorded, so settle your tempo before you record vocals or instruments. If you need to change it afterwards, see time-stretching in the browser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common BPM in music?
Many pop and dance tracks sit between 100 and 130 BPM, and 120 is a very common round number. It is a comfortable pace for walking, dancing, and counting bars.
Is a higher BPM always faster-sounding?
No. A 140 BPM trap beat can feel slower than a 100 BPM pop song because of half-time drum placement. Feel depends on where the snare falls and how dense the rhythm is, not just on the number.
Can I change the BPM after I start a song?
Yes. Notes and patterns follow the new tempo automatically. Audio you have already recorded does not, so it is best to lock the tempo before recording.
What BPM should a beginner start with?
Start at 90 or 120 BPM. Both are easy to count and sit inside several genres, which makes it simple to build a drum pattern and a bassline without fighting the tempo. See how to make a song in your browser for a full walkthrough.
Does Tracks cost anything or upload my song?
No. Tracks is free and runs in your browser, and your projects stay on your device.
Set your tempo and start a beat
Open the free Tracks studio, type a BPM, and build a groove. No download, nothing uploaded.