Why Your Beatgrid Drifts and How to Fix It

Updated 15 October 2026

The intro lines up. By the second chorus, the kick is between the grid lines. Before you start moving markers, work out what is actually wrong.

Three problems that look like drift

The grid is off by the same amount everywhere

That is usually an offset. The BPM may be right, but the first beat is in the wrong place. Move the grid onto a clear downbeat, then check a later section.

It starts right and slips steadily further out

Check the BPM. A small error adds up over a whole song. Adjust the tempo estimate until the intro and a section near the end both line up. If that holds through the middle too, you may only need a better BPM value.

It lines up, slips out, then comes back

The performance may change tempo. Listen to the original against a steady click at the intro, chorus and outro. Live drums, tape recordings and deliberate tempo changes can all make a fixed grid lose the beat.

These are starting points, not a diagnosis from the waveform alone. A quiet intro, a missed beat or a half-time reading can also confuse analysis. Listen before changing the file.

Do you need a better grid or a different file?

A beatgrid describes the timing of the recording. A variable grid can follow changes in tempo; Serato, for example, lets you place markers at those changes. That can be enough if you want to keep the performance as played and use sync inside your DJ software.

Correcting the audio does a different job. It stretches the spaces between beats so the exported recording holds one tempo. That is useful for a remix, a long blend or a sample you want to chop against a fixed grid.

You can do this in a DAW too. Ableton Live can warp a recording and export the result. BPM Lock gives you a focused version of that workflow in your browser, with no audio upload.

How to correct tempo drift with BPM Lock

1. Open the original file. Drop it into BPM Lock. Start with the Fast tracker; the additional tracker is available if the first grid needs another pass.
2. Check more than the intro. Listen to the Original against the metronome at the start, middle and end. Check that the markers follow the beats you hear.
3. Fix the markers before rendering. Drag misplaced beats or remove false detections. If needed, select a beat and use Set bar 1 to anchor the grid.
4. Listen to the BPM locked version. Check the same sections. Pay attention to fills and breakdowns, where detection can be less reliable.
5. Render and download. Choose WAV, AIFF or MP3. BPM Lock uses the detected tempo rounded to a whole BPM; it is not a control for choosing a new song speed.

If the exported file still looks off

A steady tempo does not guarantee that another app will pick the right first beat. Check its BPM reading and downbeat after import. A consistent offset needs a grid shift, not another stretch.

If the audio itself still wanders against a click, go back to the source grid. Look for missed beats, extra markers or a section where the tracker followed a different pulse. Rendering again without correcting those markers will repeat the problem.

Working with an older record? See the workflow for funk, disco and live recordings. For a DAW session, read how to line up the corrected file with a click.

Working on a DJ library or a remix? Find the guide for your next track.