updated 3/3/2026 1831
Piano Tempo Reference Guide
Grave: Very Slow. Solemn, heavy, and dragging. The weight of history.
Largo: Broad & Slow. Stately and expansive. Large like a cathedral.
Lento: Slow. Often used for emotional, lingering pieces.
Larghetto: Rather Broad. A little faster than Largo; less "heavy."
Adagio: Slow & Easy. Easeful and leisurely. At rest.
Andante: Walking Pace. A moderate, flowing speed. Like a steady stroll.
Andantino: Light Walk. Slightly faster than Andante; a bit more "lift."
Moderato: Moderate. The middle ground. Neither fast nor slow.
Allegretto: Fairly Quick. Not quite "fast," but moving along cheerfully.
Allegro: Fast & Bright. Bright, cheerful, and quick. Full of energy.
Vivace: Lively. Vivacious. Faster than Allegro; very spirited.
Presto: Very Fast. A sprint. High intensity and rapid movement.
Prestissimo: As Fast as Possible. Total velocity. The limit of human speed.
It looks like you’ve pulled up the Tempo Palette from a music notation software (like MuseScore or Sibelius). These marks are the "speed limit" signs for a piece of music.
They generally fall into three categories: Specific Beats, Descriptive Italian Terms, and Changes in Speed.
The symbols like ♩ = 80 are the most precise. They tell you exactly how many beats to play per minute (BPM).
♩ = 80: Play 80 quarter notes per minute.
Examples in your image: You see different note values (eighth notes, half notes, dotted notes). This tells the performer which specific pulse to count at 80 BPM.
Classical music uses Italian because it was the "universal language" of music for centuries. They are listed in your image roughly from slowest to fastest:
Term / Meaning / Feel
Grave / Largo. Very Slow. Solemn, heavy, or broad.
Lento
Largehetto
Adagio. Slow. Easeful and leisurely.
Andante. Walking Pace. A moderate, flowing speed.
Moderato. Moderate. Not too fast, not too slow.
Allegretto
Allegro. Fast. Bright, cheerful, and quick.
Vivace
Presto / Prestissimo. Very Fast. A total sprint; as fast as possible.
These tell you to change your speed while you are already playing:
rit. (ritardando): Gradually slow down.
accel. (accelerando): Gradually speed up.
rall. (rallentando): Similar to ritardando; a "dying away" or widening of the tempo.
a tempo: Return to the original speed (usually after a rit. or accel.).
tempo primo: Go back to the very first tempo of the piece.
Swing / Straight: Common in Jazz or Pop. "Swing" gives the music a "long-short" bouncy rhythm, while "Straight" means play the notes exactly as written.
♩ = ♩ (Metric Modulation): These symbols are used when the time signature changes. They tell the pianist to keep the pulse the same even if the "look" of the notes changes.
Pro Tip: If you see -etto or -ino added to a word (like Allegretto), it usually means "a little bit less." So, Allegretto is slightly slower and less intense than a full Allegro.
Would you like me to find a specific song example for any of these so you can hear what they sound like?