The pace of the beat is given at the start of a piece by a literal instruction and the required metronomic movement called tempo.
Here are the most used tempo markings:
| Italian | English | Tempo: beats per minute (BPM) |
|---|---|---|
| Largo | Slow and broad | 40 - 60 |
| Lento | Slow | 52 - 68 |
| Adagio | At ease | 60 - 80 |
| Andante | At a walking pace | 76 - 100 |
| Moderato | Moderate | 88 - 112 |
| Allegretto | Moderately fast | 100 - 128 |
| Allegro | Fast | 112 - 160 |
| Vivace | Lively | 120 - 140 |
| Presto | Very fast | 140 - 200 |
| Prestissimo | As fast as possible | > 200 |
Depending on the tempo, the meaning of the time signature can be altered.
For instance, a waltz with a time signature with a moderate tempo marking is considered as a binary three-beat piece. On the other hand, a waltz with a time signature with a fast tempo marking will sound as a ternary one-beat piece: the three beats of the measure will then be grouped by three to make only one ternary beat.
