BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Unit of measurement for the tempo of a track.
Detailed explanation
BPM stands for beats per minute and describes how many basic beats occur in a track per minute. In four-on-the-floor electronic music (house, techno) that is the kick drum rate. 128 BPM = 128 kicks per minute = 2.13 kicks per second. Genres have typical ranges: deep house 115–125, house 120–130, techno 130–150, drum & bass 160–180. DJ software analyses BPM automatically and shows it in the display.
Assessment by the DJLearn editorial team — experience, not a sourced factual claim.
In practice
You want to know whether two tracks fit at all before you play them. The first thing you look at is the BPM. If both are close together you barely have to move the tempo fader and the sound stays untouched. The further you pull, the more audible it gets: voices sound higher or lower, drums lose their punch. That is why most DJs sort a set by tempo before they sort it by mood.
Assessment by the DJLearn editorial team — experience, not a sourced factual claim.
Related terms
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