The tempo ranges for each of the tempo markings in music can really vary.

While there is nothing set in stone defining the exact speed of each tempo
marking, we do have some rough guidelines to help us make decisions.

Please note that you can find several lists of ranges that are not exactly the
same, but they are fairly close in range. Use this list as a guide
and only your guide. It is up to you to decide what tempo fits best with the
style of music you are playing.

LIST OF TEMPO RANGES

Tempo Marking Beats per Minute

Grave 40-50 BPM

Largo 50-55 BPM

Larghetto 55-60 BPM

Adagio 60-70 BPM

Andante 70-85 BPM

Moderato 85-100 BPM

Allegretto 100-115 BPM

Allegro 115-140 BPM

Vivace 140-150 BPM

Presto 150-170 BPM

Prestissimo 170+ BPM

Notice how the tempo markings suggest a range of tempos. There is not any
one tempo set in stone for each tempo marking. Why is this? Because
tempo markings were created well before metronomes were ever invented.

Only now do we have the capacity to define tempos a little more with the
handy development of metronomes. Now science is helping us get a better
guideline as to what each of these markings mean.

WHAT ARE BEATS PER MINUTE?

Beats per minute (BMP) literally describes how many steady beats fit in
one minute of time. A metronome is set at a certain number of beats per
minute to help a musician play steadily and accurately at the appropriate
tempo. Sometimes our foot can lie when we tap it to hold a steady beat, but
our metronomes never do.

You can often find tempo ranges marked on the back of metronomes to use
as a guideline for different tempo markings. Again, every metronome will
have a slightly different list, so use your best judgment.

HOW DO I DECIDE WHAT THE BEST TEMPO IS?

All I can say is try a few different metronome markings to find out. Tempos
are all relative and not an exact science. You will need to play around with
your metronome a little to find out what will work best for your music.

For example, if I play a march that is marked allegro, I may find that 115
BPM may be too slow while 140 BPM is way too fast. I might settle in at
120 BPM as a perfect tempo for the piece. Use your musical intuition to
help you decide.

As you can see, tempo ranges are all varying for each tempo marking you
find in your music. It really is a range and not an exact marking on your
metronome. Use the list above as your guideline and only your guideline.

Compare it to what is listed on the back of your metronome. Decide for

yourself what ranges fit each of the tempo markings best for each style of
music.