60 BPM in numbers
60 BPM means exactly one beat per second. It is the easiest tempo to check: the click lines up with the seconds on any clock. At 60 beats per minute, one beat lasts 1,000 ms (1 s).
| Note or bar | Length at 60 BPM |
|---|---|
| One beat (quarter note) | 1,000 ms |
| Eighth note | 500 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 333 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 250 ms |
| Bar of 3/4 | 3 s |
| Bar of 4/4 | 4 s |
| Bars of 4/4 per minute | 15 |
Tempo marking: Largo
60 BPM falls in the Largo range, “broad and slow”, which this metronome places at 40 to 65 BPM. Reference charts do not all agree, so treat tempo words as a feel rather than a fixed number. 60 is one of the numbers printed on a mechanical (Maelzel) metronome.
What 60 BPM is used for
That makes 60 BPM handy for counting seconds out loud, timing a plank or a stretch, or pacing slow breathing (for example 4 clicks in, 6 clicks out). It is also the bottom of the normal resting heart rate for adults, which Mayo Clinic gives as 60 to 100 beats per minute. British Army slow marches are a little faster, at 65 steps per minute.
Walking, running and CPR at 60
CPR: chest compressions need 100 to 120 per minute (American Heart Association), so 60 BPM is too slow for that. Use the 110 BPM metronome to practice.
Walking: below about 100 steps per minute, walking is usually light intensity for adults, according to the CADENCE-Adults study.
Practice ideas at 60 BPM
At slow tempos the gaps feel long and most people rush. Turn on Subdivide for a soft click between beats, and count the subdivisions out loud. Press the space bar to start or stop, and use the − and + buttons to move one BPM at a time. Other tempos: 50 BPM, 66 BPM, or the full online metronome. To time a practice session, pair it with a timer.