What 160 BPM sounds like
Tempo marking: Vivace · one beat every 375 ms
160 BPM is Vivace: lively, quick and bright. It is the tempo of fast bluegrass, hardcore punk and footwork, and the slower end of drum & bass, which usually runs 165–180. At this speed most players count in two rather than four, feeling 80 half-note pulses per minute.
Quarter notes are 375 ms apart, eighths 187.5 ms and sixteenths 94 ms. Sixteenth-note passages at 160 BPM are 640 notes per minute, which is advanced territory on any instrument.
Music at 160 BPM
- Bluegrass: Fast bluegrass breakdowns commonly run 150–170 BPM with a strong two-feel.
- Hardcore punk: Faster than classic punk, often 160–200 BPM.
- Footwork and juke: Chicago footwork is produced at around 160 BPM.
- Drum & bass (slower end): Liquid and older jungle-influenced tracks sometimes sit at 160–165 BPM.
Note lengths at 160 BPM
| Value | Duration | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter note (1 beat) | 375 ms | 160 |
| Eighth note | 187.5 ms | 320 |
| Eighth-note triplet | 125 ms | 480 |
| Sixteenth note | 93.8 ms | 640 |
| Whole bar of 4/4 | 1500 ms | 40 |
How to practise at 160 BPM
- Switch the time signature to 2/4 or use the 2 + 2 accent pattern to feel the tempo in two, which is how most fast music is counted.
- Drummers: practise the two-step drum & bass pattern (kick on 1, snare on 2 in half time) with eighth-note hi-hats.
- Mandolin, banjo and guitar players: alternate-picked eighth notes at 160 BPM are the core bluegrass speed.
- Break fast passages into two-bar chunks and loop each one until clean before joining them.
Suggested metronome settings
- Subdivision: eighth notes
- Accent: 2 + 2, or 2/4 time signature
- Practice timer: 5 minutes
160 BPM FAQ
What tempo marking is 160 BPM?
Vivace, which generally covers around 156 to 176 BPM.
Should I count 160 BPM in two or four?
Usually in two. Feeling 80 half-note pulses per minute keeps your body relaxed and makes the phrasing clearer.
Is 160 BPM drum & bass?
It is the slower end. Most drum & bass runs 170–175 BPM, but some liquid and jungle-style tracks sit at 160–165.