BPM & key finder
BPM and key before you hit record.
Drop a beat or paste a YouTube link. Sesh Starter gives you the tempo and key in seconds, so you start the session instead of guessing.
One window.
Every number you need.
Tempo on the left, key on the right, your history down the side. Play the beat, fix the feel, copy and go.
Sample beats shown. Your history and covers stay on your computer.
Count-in
One, two, three, four.
You're recording.
- 1
Drop it in
Drag an MP3, WAV or FLAC onto the window, or paste a YouTube link.
- 2
Read it
Tempo, key, Camelot code and the relative key, in seconds.
- 3
Lock the feel
Hearing it in half time? One tap on ½ or ×2 and it stays that way.
- 4
Hit record
Copy the numbers into your DAW. The session starts here.
What you get
Built for the five minutes
before the take.
Runs on your computer
Decoding and analysis happen on your machine. Your unreleased beats never leave it.
Key with Camelot
F♯ minor reads as 11A, with the relative major next to it.
Half or double, your call
One tap fixes the feel, and it stays fixed when you come back.
Link or file
Paste a YouTube link and get the MP3 plus the readout in one go.
Everything you checked
Every beat is saved with its cover. Search by name, BPM or key and play it back right there.
Free to use.
Coffee keeps it going.
Sesh Starter is a small, independent app. If it saves you time in the studio, a coffee on Ko-fi pays for the next update.
FAQ
Straight answers.
Is it free?
Yes. Sesh Starter is free on Windows. If it saves you time, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi.
What if the tempo reads half or double?
Some beats can be counted both ways. Tap ½ or ×2 and Sesh Starter remembers your choice for that beat.
Does it upload my beats?
No. Decoding and analysis run on your computer. Only a YouTube video ID goes online, to fetch the cover, plus the download itself when you paste a link.
Is there a Mac version?
It's in beta and being tested on real Macs before release.
What can I download from YouTube?
Only beats you have the rights to use. Free-for-profit and tagged previews still come with the producer's terms.
Download
Know the numbers.
Start the sesh.
Free. Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit.