You want more from this formula? You got it! See the tables below to calculate for different note values. You can also reverse the process by starting with a set tempo and finding where that tempo’s sixteenth-note delay exists on the field (this could be useful for drill writing if you want to use the sound delay to your advantage in an intricate way). As we get into more detail please note that the speed of sound changes slightly based on temperature and altitude (and wind too if it’s fairly strong). As the temperature or altitude increases the space between air molecules expands and so the compression waves through that gas are slowed too. As a result the speed of sound slows down slightly. For our calculations that difference is negligible, but depending on how exact you want to get with this formula you may experience slightly different results. (As step size also varies slightly based on vertical or horizontal motion, this formula uses 22.6785 inches as an average step size across the entire field.)

Changing the note values

You can also calculate for multiple note values by multiplying both sides by the number of notes you want. So, if you want to take the first example above and instead calculate for 2 sixteenth-notes you would multiply both sides by 2 to equal “2 sixteenth-notes at 210BPM.” If you wanted to change the value after this you can once again follow the table above. From here. for example, multiplying the BPM now by 0.666 will tell us that the delay is equivalent to “2 sixteenth-note-triplets at 140BPM“. Keep in mind, expanding the number of note values too far may start to push beyond the boundary lines of the football field, you could end up with some unrealistic results.

Reversing the formula

Enter your song’s BPM below to display where the sixteenth-note equivalent delay is on the field: