keepthebeat
Tempos
About 80 BPM
80 BPM sits in the Andante range, the speed of a relaxed walk. At a third faster than a resting pulse, it moves without pushing, which makes it easy to nod or step along to. The tempo gives a backbeat room to swing while keeping a clear sense of forward motion.
Music at 80 BPM
80 BPM is classic territory for boom-bap hip-hop, where a heavy kick and snare sit back in the pocket. Reggae one-drop grooves live near here, along with slow-to-mid R&B and pop ballads that carry a bit more push than a true slow jam. The walking feel also suits blues and laid-back funk.
What 80 BPM Feels Like
Counted straight, 80 BPM lands close to one and a third beats a second. Halve it to 40 for a slow, broad pulse at the edge of the Largo range. Double it and you reach 160 BPM, a brisk tempo used in fast jazz and punk. Sixteenth-note subdivisions give a boom-bap beat its busy hi-hat detail.
80 BPM FAQ
Is 80 BPM slow?
80 BPM is on the slow side of moderate. It sits in the Andante range at a relaxed walking pace, faster than a ballad but short of an upbeat groove.
What kind of music is 80 BPM?
Boom-bap hip-hop, reggae one-drop, slow R&B, blues, and mid-tempo pop.
What is 80 BPM in musical terms?
80 BPM falls in the Andante range, meaning a walking pace. It runs at about one and a third beats per second.