40 BPM, explained
At 40 beats per minute, each beat lasts 1500 milliseconds (0.67 beats per second). A bar of 4/4 takes 6.00 seconds, and an eighth note lasts 750 ms. The classical tempo marking for 40 BPM is roughly Largo.
Tempos around 40 BPM are common in slow ballads, ambient music and meditative pieces.
Practising at 40 BPM
If 40 BPM feels too fast for a passage, drop to a tempo where you can play it cleanly three times in a row, then come back up 2–4 BPM at a time. If it feels easy, try putting the click on beats 2 and 4 only (set the metronome to 20 BPM), which trains you to feel the pulse yourself.
Need a different speed? Use the slider, or open a preset: 50 · 60 · 70 · 80 · 90 · 100 · 110 · 120 · 130 · 140 · 150 · 160 · 170 · 180 · 200 BPM.
Questions
How fast is 40 BPM?
40 beats per minute means one beat every 1.500 seconds, or 0.67 beats per second.
What tempo marking is 40 BPM?
Roughly Largo. Tempo markings are approximate, and composers' ideas of them vary.
Can I change the time signature?
Yes. Choose 2, 3, 4 or 6 beats per bar; the first beat of each bar is accented.
More free tools
Online tuner · Online metronome · BPM tapper · Interval ear training · Chord ear training · Tone deaf test · Vocal range test · Note frequency chart · Binaural beats generator · Frequency sweep generator · White, pink & brown noise · Tone generator · Perfect pitch test · Hearing test