Tempo
The speed at which a piece of music is performed.
Category
fundamental
Pronunciation
TEM-poh
Origin
Italian
Length
140 words · 1 min read
About Tempo
Tempo indicates how fast or slow the pulse of the music moves, typically measured in beats per minute (BPM). Before the metronome was invented in 1815, tempo was indicated by Italian terms (allegro, adagio, andante) that described character as much as speed.
More fundamental terms
Texture
View all fundamentalterms →The way melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic materials are woven together in a composition.
DynamicsThe variation in loudness between notes or phrases in a performance.
KeyThe tonal centre that organises a piece of music around a specific note and scale.
PitchThe perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by its frequency.
DroneA sustained or continuously repeated note or chord that sounds throughout a passage or entire piece
Compare with similar terms
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →