Tempo Markings Chart
Tempo markings are Italian words that indicate how fast to play a piece — Allegro, for example, means fast, roughly 120–156 BPM. The chart below lists every standard marking from slowest to fastest, with its English meaning and conventional BPM range.
Every row links to our free online metronome preset at a representative tempo, so you can hear each marking instead of just reading about it.
| Marking | Meaning (English) | BPM range | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grave | Very slow, solemn | 20–40 | ♩ = 30 |
| Largo | Broad | 40–60 | ♩ = 50 |
| Larghetto | Rather broad | 60–66 | ♩ = 63 |
| Adagio | Slow, at ease | 66–76 | ♩ = 71 |
| Andante | Walking pace | 76–108 | ♩ = 92 |
| Moderato | Moderate | 108–120 | ♩ = 114 |
| Allegretto | Moderately fast | 112–120 | ♩ = 116 |
| Allegro | Fast, bright | 120–156 | ♩ = 138 |
| Vivace | Lively | 156–176 | ♩ = 166 |
| Presto | Very fast | 168–200 | ♩ = 184 |
| Prestissimo | Extremely fast | 200+ | ♩ = 208 |
Why tempo markings are in Italian
When modern music notation took shape in 17th-century Europe, Italy was its centre of gravity. Italian composers pioneered opera and the concerto, Italian workshops built the best instruments, and Italian publishers dominated printed music. Italian simply became the lingua franca of notation — the way Latin was for science — so words like allegro (cheerful) and andante (walking) spread across the continent and stuck. Composers elsewhere occasionally used their own languages (German Langsam, French Vif), but the Italian terms remain the default vocabulary every musician learns.
Crucially, these words predate the metronome, which only arrived in 1815. Before that, "fast" meant whatever the performer felt it meant. The BPM ranges we attach to each term today are modern conventions layered on top of old words — useful anchors, not laws.
Modifier words
Composers rarely leave a plain allegro alone. Small Italian modifiers fine-tune the meaning:
- molto — very. Molto allegro: very fast.
- assai — very, quite. Allegro assai: quite fast indeed.
- meno — less. Meno mosso: less motion, slower.
- poco — a little. Poco adagio: a bit on the slow side.
- ma non troppo — but not too much. Allegro ma non troppo: fast, but don't rush it.
Tempo change terms
Some markings describe how the tempo moves rather than where it sits:
- accelerando (accel.) — gradually speeding up.
- ritardando (rit.) — gradually slowing down.
- rubato — literally "stolen time"; expressive give-and-take around the beat.
- a tempo — return to the original tempo after a change.
Ranges are conventions, not laws
Treat the numbers in this chart as honest defaults, not gospel. Editions differ: one publisher prints andante at ♩ = 80, another at ♩ = 100, and Baroque, Classical, and Romantic traditions each lean differently. When a score gives an explicit metronome mark, that number wins over the Italian word. And if you're trying to figure out the tempo of a recording rather than a score, skip the guesswork — tap along with our tap BPM counter and read the number directly. Once you know it, set the metronome to that tempo and practice at the real speed, not the speed you assume.
Tempo markings FAQ
What BPM is allegro?
Allegro means fast and bright, and by convention covers roughly 120–156 BPM. It is the most common fast tempo marking in classical music. A typical allegro sits around 138 BPM, but the composer's own metronome mark always takes priority over the word.
What is the slowest tempo marking?
Grave — very slow and solemn, roughly 20–40 BPM — is generally the slowest standard tempo marking. Largo (40–60 BPM) is the slowest of the common markings you will meet in most repertoire.
What does andante mean?
Andante literally means "walking" in Italian — a relaxed walking pace, conventionally about 76–108 BPM. It sits between adagio (slow) and moderato (moderate), and is one of the most frequently used tempo markings.
Are tempo markings exact?
No. Tempo markings are conventions, not precise values. The BPM ranges in charts like this one are modern rules of thumb; different editions, editors, and historical periods interpret the same word differently. When a score includes an explicit metronome mark (e.g. ♩ = 132), that number overrides the Italian term.
Set the tempo and go
Pick any marking above and practice it with our free, accurate online metronome.