Musical tempo refers to the pacing of a piece and is an essential element of music-making. Historically, tempi were not marked with specific BPM (beats per minute) indications. This practice has become common only since the 19th century, when the metronome was invented.
Before the metronome, tempo indications were notated in words (mostly in Italian) that also conveyed moods. In some eras and genres, musical convention has been so strong that no tempo indication would be necessary.
Nevertheless, the most commonly used Italian words are as follows:
TEMPO MARKINGS
Presto - fast
Allegro - cheerful and quickly
Moderato - moderately
Andante - walking
Adagio - slowly
Lento - very slow
QUALIFIERS
assai - very
non troppo - not too much
molto - very, as in Molto Allegro or Adagio Molto
poco - slightly, as in Poco Adagio
più - more
meno – less
MOOD INDICATORS
maestoso – majestic
sostenuto – sustained
dolce – sweetly
morendo – dying (away)
Metronome manufacturers often assign BPM values to these and other terms, but these values are by no means correct for every piece. The tempo and number of beats per minute in a piece will depend on the actual rhythms in the music itself, as well as the performer and the style of the music. If a musical passage does not make sense, the tempo might be too slow. On the other hand, if the fastest notes of a work are impossible to play well, the tempo is probably too fast.
While there is no simple solution to finding appropriate tempi, it is crucial that musicians understand all the indications in the music they are learning. Students are encouraged to listen to recordings and live performances as well as remember that music-making is an art and not a precise science.
No matter which instrument you are trying to master, there are some basic considerations you may want to keep in mind.
RHYTHM
In order to be able to play with others, you have to play rhythms accurately. This will ensure that you are keeping the pace with other musicians and fitting in the musical context properly. Use the metronome to avoid or correct any inaccuracies. Here are a few tips:
Understand rhythmic notation fully.
Practice difficult passages slowly at first (see “Technique” below) to avoid/correct inaccuracies.
Subdivide beats if necessary. Here are a few examples: if the beat is in quarter notes and you need eighth notes, multiply the BPM by 2 (quarter=60 is same as eighth=120). If you need triplets, multiply the quarter beat by 3 (quarter=60, triplets=180).
TECHNIQUE
If you cannot play a fast passage flawlessly, SLOW it down and practice it with a metronome. Your mistakes and struggles will be heard by your peers and by the audience alike. Find a tempo at which you can play every note correctly (pitch, duration, tone quality), no matter how slow. If you can play the passage without mistakes five times in a row, you can speed up (about 2-4 clicks on the metronome). Gradually increase the tempo until you reach the tempo required.
NOTE ACCURACY/TUNING
Make sure you can play every note with the correct fingering. Do not ignore sharps or flats (or double sharps and double flats). Moreover, ensure that you are in tune at all times. Playing in tune with yourself is the first step toward becoming a good ensemble musician.
TONE
Always strive for an even and pleasing tone quality in all the registers of your instrument. Do not compromise your sound due to technically challenging passages.