tempo
Sign in to saveIn musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given composition, and is often also an indication of the composition's character or atmosphere. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often using conventional Italian terms) and, if a specific metrical pace is desired, is usually measured in beats per minute (bpm or BPM). In modern classical compositions, a "metronome mark" in beats per minute, indicating only measured speed and not any
AI overview
Tempo is the speed at which music is played, measured in beats per minute, and is often indicated at the beginning of a piece with instructions that can also suggest the mood or character of the music. It matters because it's a fundamental way composers communicate how fast or slow their music should be performed, shaping how listeners experience the piece.
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Article
18 sectionsContents
- Measurement
- Choosing speed
- Musical vocabulary
- Basic tempo markings
- Approximately from the slowest to the fastest
- Additional terms
- French tempo markings
- German tempo markings
- English tempo markings
- Variation through a piece
- Terms for change in tempo
- Tempo–rhythm interaction
- Modern classical music
- Beatmatching
- See also
- Citations
- Further reading
- External links
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given composition, and is often also an indication of the composition's character or atmosphere. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often using conventional Italian terms) and, if a specific metrical pace is desired, is usually measured in beats per minute (bpm or BPM). In modern classical compositions, a "metronome mark" in beats per minute, indicating only measured speed and not any form of expression, may supplement or replace the normal tempo marking, while in modern genres like electronic dance music, tempo will typically simply be stated in bpm.
Tempo (the underlying pulse of the music) is one of the three factors that give a piece of music its texture. The others are meter, which is indicated by a time signature, and articulation, which determines how each note is sounded and how notes are grouped into larger units. While the ability to hold a steady tempo is a vital skill for a musical performer, tempo is malleable. Depending on the genre of a piece of music and the performers' interpretation, a piece may be played with slight variations in tempo, known as tempo rubato, or significant variations. In ensembles, the tempo is often maintained by having players synchronise with a conductor or with a specific instrumentalist, for instance the first violin or the drummer.