The Young Composer

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Cover of Tempo & the Metronome
Wall Chart

Tempo & the Metronome

An A3 wall chart of the full tempo ladder from Larghissimo to Prestissimo with beats-per-minute ranges, how to read a metronome mark, and the words for changing and qualifying speed.

A3 · 1 page · 240 KB ⤢ View ⬇ Download PDF

What's inside

  • The full tempo ladder, Larghissimo to Prestissimo, with beats-per-minute ranges and what each word means in character as well as speed
  • How to read a metronome mark, including dotted-beat marks in compound time, ranges, circa markings and Mälzel's old MM notation
  • Words for changing speed — accelerando, rallentando, ritenuto, allargando, rubato, a tempo and tempo primo
  • Qualifying words — poco, molto, assai, più/meno, non troppo and sempre — with how each changes a tempo marking
  • Panels on speed versus character, and on marking tempo clearly in your own score
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Looking for step-by-step lessons instead? Head to Music Theory. Want composing ideas? Try Composing.