How fast?
Words on the music
Composers write words on the music to say how to play it. Most of them are Italian. A speed word sits over the start of the music.
From slow to quick
Learn these by heart
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| adagio | slow |
| andante | at a walking pace |
| moderato | at a moderate speed |
| allegretto | fairly quick, a little slower than allegro |
| allegro | quick and lively |
Here are the five speed words, slowest first. Andante is a walk. Allegro is a run.
Quick check
Andante means:
The metronome mark
A metronome mark gives the exact speed. Crotchet = 60 means sixty crotchet beats in a minute. That is one beat every second.
Quick check
The metronome mark is crotchet = 120. How many crotchet beats are there in a minute?
Remember
- Speed words, slowest first: adagio, andante, moderato, allegretto, allegro.
- A metronome mark counts the beats in a minute.
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