Music theory The basics
Expression and tempo
Dynamics from pp to ff, crescendo and diminuendo, articulation marks, and Italian tempo words with approximate speeds.
Practise this on its own page: Tempo words, Metronome.
Dynamics: how loud or quiet
Dynamics are marks that tell you how loud or quiet to play. They use Italian words, usually shortened to letters.
- Even more extreme levels are written ppp and fff.
| Mark | Italian | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pp | pianissimo | Very quiet |
| p | piano | Quiet |
| mp | mezzo piano | Moderately quiet |
| mf | mezzo forte | Moderately loud |
| f | forte | Loud |
| ff | fortissimo | Very loud |
Getting louder or quieter
- Crescendo (cresc.) means gradually get louder.
- Diminuendo (dim.) and decrescendo (decresc.) both mean gradually get quieter.
- Hairpins are wedge shapes, usually written under the stave in instrumental music, that show the same thing. The wide end is the louder end.
Articulation: how each note is played
| Name | Looks like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Staccato | A dot above or below the note | Short and separated |
| Legato | A curved slur over several notes | Smooth and connected |
| Accent | A sideways V (>) | Give the note extra emphasis |
| Tenuto | A short horizontal line | Hold the note for its full length, often with slight weight |
| Marcato | An upside-down V | A stronger accent |
| Fermata (pause) | A pause sign over the note | Hold the note longer than written |
Tempo words and metronome marks
Tempo means speed. Most tempo words are Italian: slow speeds include largo and adagio, medium speeds include andante and moderato, and fast speeds include allegro and presto.
A metronome mark gives the exact speed in beats per minute (bpm). For example, a crotchet sign followed by = 60 means sixty crotchet beats per minute, one every second.
Approximate speeds for tempo words
Tempo words describe a feeling, not a fixed number, so books disagree on the exact speeds. The table shows the ranges given by two different sources so you can see how much they vary. Treat them as a rough guide only.
| Tempo word | Meaning | Source A (Lumen Learning) | Source B (BBC Music Magazine) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grave | Very slow and serious | 20 to 40 | 20 to 40 |
| Lento | Slow | 40 to 45 | 40 to 60 |
| Largo | Slow and broad | 45 to 50 | 40 to 60 |
| Larghetto | Fairly slow | 50 to 55 | 60 to 66 |
| Adagio | Slow, at ease | 55 to 65 | 66 to 76 |
| Andante | At a walking pace | 73 to 77 | 76 to 108 |
| Moderato | Moderate | 86 to 97 | 108 to 120 |
| Allegro | Fast and bright | 109 to 132 | 120 to 156 |
| Vivace | Lively | 132 to 140 | 156 to 168 |
| Presto | Very fast | 168 to 177 | 168 to 200 |
Changing speed
- Ritardando (rit.) means gradually slow down.
- Accelerando (accel.) means gradually speed up.
- A tempo means go back to the speed you had before the change.
Sources
- Other Aspects of Notation, Open Music Theory
- Tempo Markings and Changes, Music Appreciation II (LibreTexts, from Lumen Learning)
- Tempo: a guide to one of music's most essential elements, BBC Music Magazine (classical-music.com)
- Tenuto, Dictionary.com (Collins and Random House)
- A tempo, Merriam-Webster Dictionary