Tempo Terms Guide

Classical scores mark tempo with Italian words rather than numbers. “Andante” asks for a walking pace, somewhere around 76–108 BPM, but the word also carries a mood the number can’t. This guide pairs each term with an approximate BPM range so you can translate between the two.

Hear it first

Numbers on a page don’t mean much until your ear attaches a feeling to them.

1. Open the Metronome
2. Set it to 60 BPM and start it — the dock shows the matching tempo name, Largo
3. Step the BPM up to 100 (Moderato), then 160 (Allegro)
4. Listen for the moment a steady pulse tips over into “fast.” That threshold is what the Italian terms are really naming.

The Main Tempo Markings

Term	Meaning	Approximate BPM
Larghissimo	Extremely slow	Below 24
Largo	Very slow, broad	40–66
Larghetto	Rather slow	60–66
Grave	Slow and solemn	40–60
Adagio	Slow and stately	66–76
Adagietto	Slightly faster than Adagio	70–80
Andante	Walking pace	76–108
Andantino	Slightly faster than Andante	80–108
Moderato	Moderate speed	108–120
Allegretto	Moderately fast	112–120
Allegro	Fast and bright	120–168
Vivace	Lively and fast	156–176
Presto	Very fast	168–200
Prestissimo	Extremely fast	200+

Tempo Modifiers

These terms adjust or change the tempo during a piece:

• Accelerando (accel.) — gradually getting faster
• Ritardando (rit.) — gradually getting slower
• Rallentando (rall.) — slowing down, similar to ritardando
• A tempo — return to the original tempo
• Fermata (𝄐) — hold a note longer than its written value

Practical Reference for Common Styles

Style	Typical BPM range
Ballad / slow soul	60–80
Pop / rock	100–130
Dance / EDM	120–145
Jazz (medium swing)	120–180
Bebop jazz	180–300
Drum and bass	160–180

Note on BPM Ranges

Treat every BPM range above as a ballpark. Conductors, editions, and eras disagree, and a Baroque Allegro can sit slower than a modern Andante. The terms describe a character as much as a speed, so use the numbers to get close, then trust the feel. (Published ranges vary by source; see Tempo.)

What to try next

Look up the tempo marking on a piece you’re learning, set the metronome to the low end of its range, and play. Then push to the high end and play again. Somewhere in that span is the tempo where the music makes the most sense to you — and that, not the textbook number, is the one to keep.

→ Dial in a tempo on the Metronome