70 BPM in numbers
70 BPM is not printed on a mechanical metronome: the dial jumps from 69 to 72. A digital metronome like this one gives you exactly 70. At 70 beats per minute, one beat lasts 857 ms (0.86 s).
| Note or bar | Length at 70 BPM |
|---|---|
| One beat (quarter note) | 857 ms |
| Eighth note | 429 ms |
| Eighth-note triplet | 286 ms |
| Sixteenth note | 214 ms |
| Bar of 3/4 | 2.57 s |
| Bar of 4/4 | 3.43 s |
| Bars of 4/4 per minute | 17.5 |
Tempo marking: Adagio
70 BPM falls in the Adagio range, “slow, at ease”, which this metronome places at 66 to 75 BPM. Reference charts do not all agree, so treat tempo words as a feel rather than a fixed number. 70 is not printed on a mechanical (Maelzel) metronome, which jumps from 69 to 72; this one gives you an exact 70.
What 70 BPM is used for
At 70 you hear the half-time feel of 140 BPM music such as dubstep, which producers describe as 140 played in half time. It also suits slow R&B, a style usually placed between 60 and 90 BPM. The Rifles, a British Army regiment, use a slow march of 70 steps per minute.
Walking, running and CPR at 70
CPR: chest compressions need 100 to 120 per minute (American Heart Association), so 70 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 70 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: 66 BPM, 72 BPM, or the full online metronome. To time a practice session, pair it with a timer.