Tempo
Best BPM for Every Genre: Trap, Drill, House, Techno & More
There are no tempo police — but every genre has a pocket where it grooves best. If you’re starting a beat and want it to feel right immediately, start inside the genre’s usual range.
The BPM cheat sheet
- Hip-hop / boom bap: 80–100 BPM
- Trap: 130–170 BPM (felt as 65–85 in half-time)
- Drill: 140–150 BPM, sliding 808s on the half-time grid
- R&B: 60–90 BPM
- Afrobeats: 98–110 BPM
- Reggaeton: 88–100 BPM
- House: 120–128 BPM
- Techno: 125–135 BPM (hard techno pushes 140–160)
- Trance: 132–142 BPM
- Dubstep: 138–142 BPM, half-time feel
- Drum & bass: 170–178 BPM
- Phonk: 130–160 BPM
- Lo-fi hip-hop: 70–90 BPM
Half-time: why 140 feels like 70
Trap, drill and dubstep write their hi-hats at full tempo but land the snare on beat three instead of beats two and four. The head-nod happens at half the written tempo — that’s why a 140 BPM trap beat feels slow and heavy while its hats sizzle. When you check a track with a BPM finder, keep that doubling in mind.
Picking a tempo for your own track
Start at the genre’s centre, then nudge. A couple of BPM slower makes a beat lazier and heavier; a couple faster adds urgency. And if you’re unsure what a reference track uses, drop it into the free Key & BPM Finder and match it.
Check any track's BPM free →Instant BPM, key and Camelot code — drop a file and see.Frequently asked questions
What BPM is trap music usually?
Trap is usually written between 130 and 170 BPM with a half-time feel, so it grooves like 65–85 BPM. 140 BPM is the classic starting point.
What BPM should a house track be?
Most house sits between 120 and 128 BPM, with 124–126 the sweet spot for classic and deep house.
What is the fastest mainstream genre?
Drum & bass at 170–178 BPM is the fastest widely-produced genre, with some hardcore styles going higher still.