I've been seeing a lot of threads asking for the nps of certain parts of songs, usually in relation to parts of other songs. So I drew up this guide to help teach nps calculation. The method to determining the nps involves a small understanding of music and simple math, both of which will be covered in the text to follow.
MATERIALS
-Song chart
-One functioning brain
-Calculator
HOW TO READ A SONG CHART
The above picture is a clipping from a song chart. When looking at the chart, there are two things you need to locate; the tempo, and measure lines.
Circled in the above picture is the tempo. This represents the number of quarter (1/4) notes played in one minute.
The dark black vertical lines on the chart divide the song into measures, the gray lines divide the measures into quarters, and the lightest grey lines divide the measures into eighths. The only lines we need to worry about are the grey lines that divide the measures into quarters; shown by the red lines on the above picture.
CALCULATING NPS
Calcualting the nps requires you to find two pieces of information; the number of quarter notes per second, and what kind of note you are dealing with.
First, lets find the number of quarter notes per second. All you have to do is locate the tempo and divide by 60. This turns the tempo, which is quater notes per minute, into quarter notes per second.
Now, determining what kind of note we are dealing with can be a harder concept to grasp, so I'll give an example for almost every kind of note you will encounter. To find what kind of note we are dealing with, we need to know how many of these notes fit within the duration of one quarter note. Use the gray lines on the chart to help you draw out the duration of a quarter note. Now count the notes (chords only count as one note) that lie within the lines or on the left line, notes that lie on the right line are not included. The table and examples below will help you determine what kind of note you are dealing with.
If you count _____ you have _____.
2 notes - eighth notes (1/
3 notes - triplet eighth notes (1/12)
4 notes - sixteenth notes (1/16)
6 notes - triplet sixteenth notes (1/24)
8 notes - thirty-second notes (1/32)
12 notes - triplet thirty-second notes (1/48)
Now for some examples. The duration of one quarter note has been drawn out in red lines in all chart examples.
Eighth Notes (1/
Who Was In My Room Last Night
First calculate the quarter notes per second. 182 / 60 = 3.03
Now count the number of notes either on the left line or within the lines. We have two notes, this means we are dealing with eighth notes. Eighth notes are twice as fast as quarter notes, so we take the quarter notes per second and multiply by two to get 6.06 nps.
Triplet Eighth Notes (1/12)
Woman
Quarter notes per second: 155 / 60 = 2.58
We have 3 notes in the quarer note duartion, this means we have triplet eighth notes. Triplet eighth notes are 3 times as fast as quarter notes so we multiply the quarter notes per second by 3 to get 7.74 nps.
Sixteenth Notes (1/16)
Through the Fire and Flames
Quarter notes per second: 200 / 60 = 3.33
We have 4 notes in the quarer note duartion, this means we have sixteenth notes. Sixteenth notes are 4 times as fast as quarter notes so we multiply the quarter notes per second by 4 to get 13.33 nps.
Triplet Sixteenth Notes (1/24)
Knights of Cydonia
Quarter notes per second: 138 / 60 = 2.3
We have 6 notes in the quarer note duartion, this means we have triplet sixteenth notes. Triplet sixteenth notes are 6 times as fast as quarter notes so we multiply the quarter notes per second by 6 to get 13.8 nps.
Thirty-second Notes (1/32)
Through the Fire and Flames
Quarter notes per second: 200 / 60 = 3.33
We have 8 notes in the quarer note duartion, this means we have thirty-second notes. Thirty-second notes are 8 times as fast as quarter notes so we multiply the quarter notes per second by 8 to get 26.6 nps.
Triplet Thirty-second Notes (1/48)
Texas Flood
Quarter notes per second: 58 / 60 = 0.97
We have 12 notes in the quarer note duartion, this means we have triplet thirty-second notes. Triplet thirty-second notes are 12 times as fast as quarter notes so we multiply the quarter notes per second by 12 to get 11.6 nps.
Outro
Hope this guide will help you learn the skill of calculating the nps. I am completely open to any comments, critizism, or questions about the guide, as well as any additions you would like to see. Go forth and calculate.
