1.9 Tempo

Tempo is the speed of the beat in music, and you show it with Italian words like largo, adagio, andante, allegro, and presto, or with a metronome marking such as quarter note = 88. You also need terms that change the prevailing tempo: accelerando speeds up, ritardando slows down gradually, ritenuto slows down abruptly, and rubato allows flexible timing.

How Tempo Is Named and Changed

• Tempo describes the relative speed of the beat pulse and is set with words or a metronome marking.
• Italian tempo words run from very slow (grave) through slow, moderate, and fast (presto, prestissimo), but the ranges overlap and are approximate.
• A metronome marking names a beat-note and beats per minute, such as quarter note = 88.
• Tempo markings are usually placed at the start of a movement or section.
• Learn the change-of-tempo terms: accelerando (speed up), ritardando (slow down gradually), ritenuto (slow down abruptly), and rubato (flexible timing).
• You only need the meanings of the Italian terms in this topic, but stay aware that other languages are used in real scores.

Tempo Basics

Tempo tells you how fast or slow the beat moves. It sets the mood of a piece, and the same notes can feel calm or urgent depending on the tempo.

There are two main ways a score shows tempo:

• A tempo word, usually in Italian, placed at the start of a movement or section.
• A metronome marking, which pairs a beat-note with a number of beats per minute. For example, quarter note = 60 means the quarter note gets 60 beats per minute.

The Italian tradition gives us the standard words, but composers also write tempo and expression markings in German, French, and English. Performers are responsible for knowing what each marking means no matter the language.

Italian Tempo Words

These are the Italian terms you need for AP Music Theory, grouped from slow to fast. The beats-per-minute numbers below are rough guides, not strict rules. Ranges overlap, and the words really describe a feeling or character as much as a speed.

A few cautions on grouping:

• Grave, largo, and larghetto sit at the very slow end, with lento just above them. Their usage overlaps, so do not treat them as exact speeds.
• Larghetto is generally a bit faster than largo, but the difference is about character, not a fixed number.
• Because the ranges overlap, focus on the meaning and feel of each word rather than memorizing exact bpm values.

Knowing the literal translations helps. Grave relates to "serious," and allegro relates to "cheerful." If you are unsure of a marking, the mood and energy of the music can point you toward the right word.

Keep in mind that bpm alone does not always match the feeling of speed, because beat divisions matter. A piece can feel fast despite a moderate metronome number if the beat is subdivided heavily.

Changes in Tempo

Some markings adjust the prevailing tempo rather than set it. For AP Music Theory you should know:

• accelerando: gradually speed up
• ritardando: gradually slow down
• ritenuto: slow down abruptly
• rubato: general freedom with the tempo

Ritardando is the gradual slowdown you often see at the end of a phrase or section. In scores it is usually written "rit." and may be followed by a dotted line that shows how long the change lasts. The exact amount of slowing is left to the performer's judgment, guided by the phrase and where it sits in the piece.

Ritenuto means slowing down abruptly. It is also commonly abbreviated "rit.," so you usually rely on context to tell ritenuto from ritardando.

Accelerando, abbreviated "accel.," tells you to gradually increase the speed. It can stretch over many measures or happen in just a measure or two.

Rubato literally means "stolen time." It is a give-and-take of tempo for expressive purposes, speeding up and slowing down slightly while keeping the overall flow. It shows up most in solo and vocal music and should be used tastefully.

You may also see "poco a poco," meaning "little by little," attached to a tempo change.

Identifying Tempo and Holding It Steady

Listening: When you hear an excerpt, judge the relative speed first, then match it to a tempo word. Pay attention to whether the beat is steady or whether it speeds up (accelerando) or slows down (ritardando). Watch for beat divisions, since a fast-sounding passage might have a moderate bpm.

Score Reading: Look at the start of the movement or section for the tempo word or metronome marking. Read a metronome marking as beat-note plus beats per minute, like quarter note = 88. Spot any change-of-tempo terms in the music and know what they direct the performer to do.

Sight-Singing: Sight-singing melodies usually carry a moderate marking such as moderato. Hold a steady tempo from start to finish and avoid hesitations or restarts. Do not change speed unless the notation specifically tells you to.

Common Trap: Ritardando and ritenuto can both appear as "rit." Use context and any dotted line to decide whether the slowdown is gradual or abrupt.

Common Misconceptions

• Misconception: Tempo bpm ranges are exact rules.
  Actually: Tempo bpm ranges are not exact rules. The numbers overlap, so treat tempo words as character and relative speed, not fixed measurements.
• Misconception: Grave, largo, lento, and larghetto are the same speed.
  Actually: Grave, largo, lento, and larghetto are not the same speed. Grave is very slow, while largo, lento, and larghetto sit near the slow end with overlapping usage.
• Misconception: A higher metronome number always means it sounds faster.
  Actually: A higher metronome number does not always mean it sounds faster. The amount of beat division affects how fast the music feels.
• Misconception: A tempo word is the only way to set speed.
  Actually: A tempo word is not the only way to set speed. A metronome marking can set tempo on its own.
• Misconception: Every marking will be Italian.
  Actually: You are only responsible for the specific Italian terms in this topic, but real scores use other languages, so do not assume every marking will be Italian.
• Misconception: "rit." always means a gradual slowdown.
  Actually: "rit." can mean ritardando or ritenuto, so do not assume it always means a gradual slowdown.

Related AP Music Theory Guides

• 1.1 Pitch and Pitch Notation
• 1.3 Half Steps and Whole Steps
• 1.4 Major Scales and Scale Degrees
• 1.2 Rhythmic Values
• 1.5 Major Keys and Key Signatures
• 1.6 Simple and Compound Beat Division