On-screen measure speed

BPM and playback speed do different jobs in SheetCue's on-screen measure flow

Here, playback speed means how quickly SheetCue advances from one prepared measure to the next on screen. It is not audio speed or time-stretch. Saved BPM and beats define the baseline duration.

4 min readUpdated: October 4, 2026 Content checked through 1.8.1 · screenshot version: 1.6.2Screenshot evidence: Android emulator · 720 × 1280 · 320 dpi

The short answer

SheetCue calculates seconds per measure as (effective beats × 60 ÷ effective BPM) ÷ speed. With effective timing of 120 BPM and four beats, a measure lasts 2.0 seconds at 1.0x and 2.5 seconds at 0.8x. Dividing by 0.8 keeps it on screen longer without changing the saved timing. A measure-level BPM or beats override replaces the corresponding preset default.

Seconds per measure calculator

You need a prepared score with valid Default tempo (BPM) and Beats per measure. Use the timing guide if those saved values still need to be set or corrected. Set BPM and beats for measure timing

SheetCue 1.6.2: paused Full page practice for Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and 1.15x selected in the bottom-right speed control — paused Full page practice for Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and 1.15x selected in the bottom-right speed control.

How it works

Confirm the effective 120 BPM and four beats

Open Measure Edit and check Score default playback settings for Default tempo (BPM) 120 and Beats per measure 4. The 1.6.2 screenshot shows the same values as PDF BPM and Default beats under Preset details. Its example, the bundled Flute Siciliano sample in 1.6.2, has no separately saved measure-level override, so its effective timing is 120 BPM and four beats. That bundled sample no longer appears in My Scores in 1.8.1, so reproduce the example with any score whose effective timing is 120 BPM and four beats. The selected timing fields can still display those effective values. At 1.0x, 4 × 60 ÷ 120 gives 2.0 seconds, the same duration Playback time per measure shows. A separately saved override takes priority over the corresponding preset default.

SheetCue 1.6.2: Measure Edit for Flute Siciliano sample with PDF BPM 120 and Default beats 4 under Preset details — Measure Edit for Flute Siciliano sample with PDF BPM 120 and Default beats 4 under Preset details. Captured in 1.6.2; 1.8.1 shows the same values as Default tempo (BPM) and Beats per measure under Score default playback settings, with Playback time per measure.

Use the arrows to reach 0.8x

Pause practice in Measure view or Full page. The screenshot shows Full page. The down arrow lowers the speed by one available step, and the up arrow raises it by one. Tap the down arrow until the center value reads 0.8x. Tapping that center value resets the control to 1.0x. At 0.8x, SheetCue divides the 2.0-second baseline by 0.8, so the measure stays on screen for 2.5 seconds while its saved timing remains unchanged.

SheetCue 1.6.2: paused Full page practice for the same Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and 0.8x selected in the bottom-right speed control — paused Full page practice for the same Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and 0.8x selected in the bottom-right speed control.

Resume with 0.8x still selected

Resume practice. The screen shows active playback with the Pause button and the 0.8x selection still visible. Measure advance, the metronome, and count-in use the adjusted pace.

SheetCue 1.6.2: active Full page playback of the same Flute Siciliano sample with the Pause button visible and 0.8x still selected — active Full page playback of the same Flute Siciliano sample with the Pause button visible and 0.8x still selected.

Reset the session speed to 1.0x

Pause again and tap the current 0.8x value in the center of the control. It returns directly to 1.0x, so this effective 120 BPM and four-beat example returns to 2.0 seconds per measure.

SheetCue 1.6.2: paused Full page practice for the same Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and the bottom-right speed control reset to 1.0x — paused Full page practice for the same Flute Siciliano sample with Measure 2 current and the bottom-right speed control reset to 1.0x.

What to know

The same effective 120 BPM and four beats at two speeds

The 1.6.2 example score stores no separate measure-level override, so its effective BPM and beats match the preset defaults. The formula is seconds per measure = (effective beats × 60 ÷ effective BPM) ÷ speed. Because 0.8 is below 1, dividing by it increases the duration from 2.0 to 2.5 seconds. The saved values do not change.

The same effective 120 BPM and four beats at two screen speeds
Speed setting	Effective BPM	Effective beats	Time on screen
1.0x	120	4	2.0 seconds
0.8x	120	4	2.5 seconds

Change the setting that matches the problem

Correct Default tempo (BPM) or Beats per measure when the preset baseline is wrong. If the selected measure has Selected BPM or Selected beats, correct those fields instead because they take priority for that measure. Use the speed arrows only to change the current on-screen practice flow. SheetCue 1.8.1 steps through 0.3x, 0.5x, 0.8x, 0.9x, 0.95x, 1.0x, and 1.15x.

Current limits

Playback speed controls on-screen measure progression. It does not play audio, stretch audio, or make the score produce sound.
SheetCue does not listen to your instrument or follow your performance automatically.
If the selected measure has a Selected BPM or Selected beats override, use that effective value in the formula. Changing speed does not correct or replace the override, the defaults, fermatas, rubato, or other expressive timing.

Playback timingSet BPM and beats for predictable measure timing PDF score practiceHow to practice a PDF score measure by measure Score annotationsAnnotate a PDF score in SheetCue while you practice