Free performance-time tool
Song length calculator
Estimate a score’s performance time from measures, beats and BPM. Add sections for tempo changes or repeats.
The short answer
At 120 BPM, 32 measures in 4/4 last 1:04 (64 seconds). Add each section’s measures × beats × 60 ÷ BPM × plays, then divide the total by playback speed.
Calculate music time
Add a section when measures, beats or tempo change, and set plays to 2 for a repeat.
Estimated total time
- Minutes:seconds (rounded)
- 1:04
- Total seconds
- 64 s
Times are rounded to three decimal places.
Static reference table
Reference times at 120 BPM in 4/4, played once at normal speed.
| Measures | Minutes:seconds (rounded) | Total seconds |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0:16 | 16 |
| 16 | 0:32 | 32 |
| 32 | 1:04 | 64 |
| 64 | 2:08 | 128 |
| 96 | 3:12 | 192 |
| 120 | 4:00 | 240 |
Add sections as the score changes
Use a new section for each tempo or beat-count change. “Plays” includes the first pass: 2 means play the section twice. Count beats using the BPM beat unit, so dotted-quarter BPM in 6/8 uses two beats per measure.
Use this in SheetCue
Import your PDF or score photos to practice with measures on screen. When measures are found, SheetCue starts at 80 BPM and four beats per measure. Set the tempo yourself in “Tempo” or use “Tap to set”. These values control on-screen measure timing; the app does not read notes or detect tempo. Check SheetCue Plus pricing and terms in the app or store.
A planning estimate
The result adds the entered sections and divides by the speed factor: 0.5× doubles the time; 2× halves it. Count-ins, fermatas, rubato and unentered pauses are excluded. Minutes:seconds rounds only the final total to the nearest second.
Frequently asked questions
How long are 32 measures at 120 BPM?
With four quarter-note beats per measure and one play at 1× speed, 32 × 4 × 60 ÷ 120 = 64 seconds, or 1:04.
How do repeats and tempo changes affect song length?
Enter different tempos in separate sections. Set the total number of plays for each section, including the first pass. The calculator multiplies each section’s duration by its plays and then adds the sections.
Can I share my section list?
Use “Create share link” to put valid section values and the speed factor in the page URL. Anyone opening that link can load and edit the same calculation. No score file is included.
Practice your score with SheetCue
Bring your own PDF or score photos and set the timing for measure-by-measure practice.