160 BPM in numbers
160 BPM is a metronome mark and a lively Allegro: 375 ms per beat. At 160 beats per minute, one beat lasts 375 ms (0.38 s).
| Note or bar | Length at 160 BPM |
|---|---|
| One beat (quarter note) | 375 ms |
| Eighth note | 188 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 125 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 94 ms |
| Bar of 3/4 | 1.13 s |
| Bar of 4/4 | 1.5 s |
| Bars of 4/4 per minute | 40 |
Tempo marking: Allegro
160 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. 160 is one of the numbers printed on a mechanical (Maelzel) metronome.
What 160 BPM is used for
Drum and bass starts here: the style usually runs from 160 to 180 BPM, with many recent tracks at 170 to 175. Runners meet 160 too. In a 2011 study by Heiderscheit and colleagues, raising step rate by 5 to 10% (from 160, that is about 168 to 176) reduced the load on the knee, and on the hip at +10%.
Walking, running and CPR at 160
CPR: chest compressions need 100 to 120 per minute (American Heart Association), so 160 BPM is too fast for that. Use the 110 BPM metronome to practice.
Running: as a cadence, 160 steps per minute is on the relaxed side of running cadences. If you want to change yours, small steps work best: a 5 to 10% rise in step rate already reduced knee loading in a 2011 study.
Practice ideas at 160 BPM
At fast tempos, try half time first: set 80 BPM and feel each click as two beats. Keep Accent on so you never lose the first beat of the bar. Press the space bar to start or stop, and use the − and + buttons to move one BPM at a time. Other tempos: 150 BPM, 180 BPM, or the full online metronome. To time a practice session, pair it with a timer.