Tempo is the speed (measured in beats per minute) of a record, single, or instrumental. Generally speaking, during tracking (i.e., audio recording), the higher the tempo, the faster a vocalist should sing or rap because the song will sound terrible if an artist lacks any sense of rhythm or timing. But that can be somewhat fixed using music editing software or professional audio add-ons, e.g., Celemony Melodyne.
The same can be said about the speed of playing instruments, e.g., guitarists, drummers, percussionists, and keyboardists. Every musician has to groove nicely and remain in sync with the beat; however, in music production, there's also something called syncopation, where you can deliberately play or sing slightly off-beat so that your song sounds interesting and not too generic or mechanical when everything is aligned on the grid. In addition, professional dancers, too, I mean those without two left feet, are guided by the timing of the music when they are breakdancing, twerking, and doing Borrowdale dance.
Larghetto (60–66 bpm):
Adagio (66–76 bpm):
Andante (76–108 bpm):
The same can be said about the speed of playing instruments, e.g., guitarists, drummers, percussionists, and keyboardists. Every musician has to groove nicely and remain in sync with the beat; however, in music production, there's also something called syncopation, where you can deliberately play or sing slightly off-beat so that your song sounds interesting and not too generic or mechanical when everything is aligned on the grid. In addition, professional dancers, too, I mean those without two left feet, are guided by the timing of the music when they are breakdancing, twerking, and doing Borrowdale dance.
Tempo markings you should know for beatmaking
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Larghetto | This pace is often used for ballads and other slower, more introspective records. Its tempo range invites the listener to focus on the meaning and feeling behind the music. |
| Adagio | On the bright side, making records within this bpm range can be just as effective at evoking a state of calm and reflection as in Larghetto. On the downside, some listeners may find it too sluggish. |
| Andante | This bpm range allows the perfect balance between moderately slow records and slightly swift songs that require more energy from a performer or recording artist. It's arguably the most commonly used bpm of music alongside Moderato in this era. |
| Moderato | The speed of beats of this range is great for anything where you want upbeat vibes. |
| Allegro | If your goal is to make a dance record to turn up to with a cheerful sparkle, then that is where you want to be. |
Bpm fi ms
The following resources will help you find the beats per minute in milliseconds for a variety of different music tempo indicators:Larghetto (60–66 bpm):
Adagio (66–76 bpm):
Andante (76–108 bpm):
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
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