120 BPM in numbers
120 BPM is two beats per second, exactly 500 ms per beat. It is the default tempo of most music software and the start of Allegro. At 120 beats per minute, one beat lasts 500 ms (0.5 s).
| Note or bar | Length at 120 BPM |
|---|---|
| One beat (quarter note) | 500 ms |
| Eighth note | 250 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 167 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 125 ms |
| Bar of 3/4 | 1.5 s |
| Bar of 4/4 | 2 s |
| Bars of 4/4 per minute | 30 |
Tempo marking: Allegro
120 BPM falls in the Allegro range, “fast and lively”, which this metronome places at 120 to 167 BPM. Reference charts do not all agree, so treat tempo words as a feel rather than a fixed number. 120 is one of the numbers printed on a mechanical (Maelzel) metronome.
What 120 BPM is used for
US Army quick time is 120 steps per minute (double time is 180). In ballroom dance, slow foxtrot runs at 28 to 30 bars of 4/4 per minute (112 to 120 BPM) and cha-cha-cha at 30 to 32 bars (120 to 128 BPM). House music lives between 120 and 130. 120 is also the upper limit for CPR compressions.
Walking, running and CPR at 120
CPR: 120 is inside the range for chest compressions. The American Heart Association asks for 100 to 120 compressions per minute for adults, at a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm). In a real emergency, call 911 first and follow the dispatcher.
Walking: 120 steps per minute is a moderate to brisk walk. Research on adults aged 21 to 40 puts moderate intensity at about 100 steps per minute and vigorous intensity at about 130.
Practice ideas at 120 BPM
Play a scale or a short phrase with one note per click, then two (eighths), then four (sixteenths). If it gets messy, go back down 4 BPM and build up again. Press the space bar to start or stop, and use the − and + buttons to move one BPM at a time. Other tempos: 110 BPM, 130 BPM, or the full online metronome. To time a practice session, pair it with a timer.