TEMPO
http://blog.sdrock.com/pastors/2013/06/17/where-have-you-been/
Tempo (Italian for time, plural: tempi or tempos) is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of most musical compositions, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.
Measuring Tempo:
The tempo of a piece will typically be written at the start of a piece of music, and in modern Western music is usually indicated in beats per minute (BPM). This means that a particular note value (for example, a quarter note or crotchet) is specified as the beat, and the marking indicates that a certain number of these beats must be played per minute. The greater the tempo, the larger the number of beats that must be played in a minute, therefore, the faster a piece must be played.
Measuring Tempo:
The tempo of a piece will typically be written at the start of a piece of music, and in modern Western music is usually indicated in beats per minute (BPM). This means that a particular note value (for example, a quarter note or crotchet) is specified as the beat, and the marking indicates that a certain number of these beats must be played per minute. The greater the tempo, the larger the number of beats that must be played in a minute, therefore, the faster a piece must be played.
Beats per minute (BPM) is a unit typically used as a measure of tempo in music and heart rate.
The BPM tempo of a piece of music is conventionally shown in its score as a metronome mark, as illustrated to the right. This indicates that there should be 120 (crotchet beats) or Quarter Beats per minute. In simple time signatures it is conventional to show the tempo in terms of the note duration on the bottom. So a 4/4 would show a quarter note, as shown to the right, while a 2/2 would show a (minim) or Half Note.
In compound time signatures the beat consists of three note durations (so there are 3 (quavers) or Eighth Notes per beat in a 6/8 time signature), so a dotted form of the next note duration up is used. The most common compound signatures: 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8, therefore use a dotted crotchet (dotted quarter note) to indicate their BPM.
Basic tempo markings:
By adding an -issimo ending the word is amplified/made louder, by adding an -ino or -etto ending the word is diminished/made softer. The metronome marks are broad approximations. Note: Metronome markings are a guide only and depending on the time signature and the piece itself, these figures may not be appropriate in every circumstance. Also, in longer pieces such as symphony movements, the tempo marking used by the composer for the movement does not have to be adhered to strictly throughout the movement; individual interpreters may vary the tempo at times, at their discretion.
Slow:
Fast:
Additional terms:
By adding an -issimo ending the word is amplified/made louder, by adding an -ino or -etto ending the word is diminished/made softer. The metronome marks are broad approximations. Note: Metronome markings are a guide only and depending on the time signature and the piece itself, these figures may not be appropriate in every circumstance. Also, in longer pieces such as symphony movements, the tempo marking used by the composer for the movement does not have to be adhered to strictly throughout the movement; individual interpreters may vary the tempo at times, at their discretion.
Slow:
- Larghissimo – very, very slow (19 BPM and under)
- Grave – slow and solemn (20–40 BPM)
- Lento – slowly (40–45 BPM)
- Largo – broadly (45–50 BPM)
- Larghetto – rather broadly (50–55 BPM)
- Adagio – slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (55–65 BPM)
- Adagietto – rather slow (65–69 BPM)
- Andante moderato – a bit slower than andante (69–72 BPM)
- Andante – at a walking pace (73–77 BPM)
- Andantino – slightly faster than andante (although in some cases it can be taken to mean slightly slower than andante) (78–83 BPM)
- Marcia moderato – moderately, in the manner of a march[4][5] (83–85 BPM)
- Moderato – moderately (86–97 BPM)
Fast:
- Accelerando – gradually accelerating
- Allegretto – moderately fast (98–109 BPM)
- Allegro – fast, quickly and bright (109–132 BPM)
- Vivace – lively and fast (132–140 BPM)
- Vivacissimo – very fast and lively (140–150 BPM)
- Allegrissimo – very fast (150–167 BPM)
- Presto – extremely fast (168–177 BPM)
- Prestissimo – even faster than Presto (178 BPM and over)
Additional terms:
- A piacere – the performer may use his or her own discretion with regard to tempo and rhythm; literally "at pleasure"[6]
- A tempo – at the same speed from the beginning
- L'istesso tempo or Lo stesso tempo – at the same speed
- Tempo comodo – at a comfortable (normal) speed
- Tempo di... – the speed of a ... (such as Tempo di valse (speed of a waltz, ≈60 bpm), Tempo di marcia (speed of a march, ≈120 bpm))
- Tempo giusto – at a consistent speed, at the 'right' speed, in strict tempo
- Tempo semplice – simple, regular speed, plainly