Tempo

By Kelvin Sholar

Tempo is the rate at which beats occur. Tempos are normally indicated by a tempo marking that describes the rate of a basic time-value. In staff notation, tempo markings normally appear top left, near the beginning of the composition written.

Like dynamics, tempo can be indicated by Italian words called Italian tempo terms. Basic terms include adagio (which means “slow”) and allegro (which means “fast”). Tempo markings are made more precise by using terms like molto (meaning “very”) or non troppo (meaning “not too much”).

Other Italian terms are used to signify when the tempo is to gradually get faster or get slower. They include like accelerando (meaning “get faster”) or ritardando (meaning “get slower”).

Just as Italian dynamic terms, Italian tempo terms are not absolute and exact; because different composers and performers use them in different ways. However, to be as exact as possible, the pace of the metronome is normally written to indicate how many beats should occur within a minute and to indicate which time value gets the beat.