Tempo markings and their BPM ranges
The Italian word in the top-left corner of a score describes a character as much as a speed. Adagio doesn't say 'slow', it says 'at ease'; Allegro doesn't say 'fast', it says 'cheerful'. Still, each marking has a settled BPM range you can dial in.
Markings describe character, not just speed
Two pieces at identical BPM can feel completely different. Grave and Largo overlap numerically, yet Grave is heavy and dark while Largo is broad and open. So when you see a marking, think about the mood of the music first and the metronome number second.
Modifiers shift the range
The words attached to a marking fine-tune it: molto (very), poco (a little), non troppo (not too much), assai (quite), ma non troppo (but not excessively). Allegro ma non troppo typically sits 10-15 BPM below a plain Allegro. There are also process markings: accelerando speeds up, ritardando slows down, a tempo returns to the original speed.
A metronome mark overrides the word
If the composer wrote something like ♩=92, that number takes priority over the Italian term. These marks became common after Beethoven; in earlier music the tempo is implied by period style and note values instead. The preset tempo list in the app pairs each name with its range, so you never have to memorise the numbers.
| Marking | BPM range | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Grave | 20-40 | Very slow, solemn |
| Largo | 40-60 | Broad, spacious |
| Adagio | 66-76 | At ease, calm |
| Andante | 76-108 | Walking pace |
| Moderato | 108-120 | Moderate |
| Allegro | 120-156 | Cheerful, lively |
| Vivace | 156-176 | Brisk |
| Presto | 168-200 | Very fast |
| Prestissimo | 200+ | As fast as possible |
Frequently asked questions
Is Andante faster than Adagio?
Yes. Adagio sits around 66-76 BPM and Andante around 76-108 BPM. Andante literally means 'walking', which is exactly the pace it describes.
How many BPM is Moderato?
Usually 108-120 BPM — squarely between Andante and Allegro, unhurried but never static.
What does ♩=120 mean?
The quarter note passes 120 times per minute, so you set the metronome to 120 BPM and each click is one quarter note. If the mark reads ♪=120, the counted unit is the eighth note instead.
What's the difference between Presto and Prestissimo?
Presto is a very fast tempo, roughly 168-200 BPM; Prestissimo goes further still, usually above 200 BPM, meaning the composer wants the fastest speed that's still playable. The line between them isn't fixed, so context in the score and technical difficulty have the final say.
Can the tempo change within a single piece?
Yes — most pieces don't sit at one fixed BPM the whole way through. Markings like accelerando (speeding up) and ritardando (slowing down) shift the tempo gradually, while a tempo signals a return to the previous speed. With a metronome, the safest approach is to learn each section at its own steady tempo first, then link the transitions together.
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