Tempo Markings: Largo to Presto (and the Metronome)

Tempo is how fast the music goes. Composers mark it with Italian words at the start — and sometimes an exact metronome number.

The common markings, slow to fast

• Largo / Lento — very slow, broad (roughly 40–60 BPM)
• Adagio — slow, at ease (around 66–76)
• Andante — a walking pace (around 76–108)
• Moderato — moderate (around 108–120)
• Allegro — fast, bright (around 120–168)
• Presto — very fast (around 168–200)

These ranges are approximate — they're feelings as much as speeds, and they vary by piece and era.

BPM makes it exact

A marking like "♩ = 100" means 100 quarter-note beats per minute — set your metronome to 100 and you have the exact pulse the composer wanted. BPM removes the guesswork that Italian words leave.

Words that change the tempo

You'll also see instructions to change speed mid-piece:

• ritardando (rit.) — gradually slow down
• accelerando (accel.) — gradually speed up
• a tempo — return to the original speed
• rubato — expressive, flexible timing (bend the pulse for feeling)

Practise slow first

Whatever the marking, learn the notes well below tempo, then raise the metronome step by step. Speed is a by-product of accuracy — never the other way around.