TEMPO & METRONOME
TEMPO: The rate of speed in music composition ranging from the slowest to the fastest is called tempo. Tempo marks are indicated by various Italian words such as largo, adagio, andante, moderato, etc. More accurate tempo may be acquired by the use of a metronome.
METRONOME: An apparatus, constructed by Mälzel
in 1816 A.D., to indicate the exact tempo of a musical piece
which is indicated by MM (Malzel Metronome ) or simply M. Constructed upon the
principle of the double pendulum that makes 80 oscillations per minute. Hence,
MM 
= 80 is the duration of the Half-note which
will be 
seconds. Metronomic indications are
used to estimate the approximate duration of a musical piece.
Formula: n x t / M : [ i.e. n = the number
of notes in a measure; t = the number of measures in a musical piece, and M
= metronome figure.] For instance, a musical piece of 160 measures in 3/4 meter
with the MM 
= 90 will last minutes, or 5 minutes
and 20 seconds.
NOTE: MM = 60-80
represents "normal tempo" which agrees with various natural paces,
such as moderate walking pace or the human pulse.
Metronomic Indications for different Tempos
(1 Quarter Note
= 90 means 90 beats per minute.)
| Italian Terms | English Meaning | Beats per minute |
| Largo | Slow and Solemn | Between 40-66 b.p.m |
| Adagio | Slow at ease | Between 66-76 b.p.m |
| Andante | Walking speed | Between 76-108 b.p.m |
| Moderato | Moderate | Between 108-120 b.p.m |
| Allegro | Fast, lively | Between 120-168 b.p.m |
| Presto | Very fast | Between 168-208 b.p.m |
| Prestissimo | As fast as possible | 209 above |
OTHER COMMON TERMS RELATING TO TEMPO
[Lento = between Largo and Adagio ]
[Andantino = a little faster than Andante]
[Allegretto = a little slower than Allegro ]
[Vivace = a little faster than
Allegro.]
[Tempo and Metronomic indications are generally shown at the top-left of
a
musical piece as shown below]
ETUDE
Andante MM
= 100 (Each Quarter-note is to be played at the tempo of 100 beats
per minute, i.e. each quarter-note lasts one-hundredth of a minute.)
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