78 Par t 2:Rhythms
You can indicate tempo in one of two ways: by indicating the precise number of
beats per minute or by using traditional Italian terms. We’ll discuss both meth-
ods next.Beats per Minute
The most accurate way to indicate tempo is by specifying a certain number of
beats per minute,or bpm.This gives you a very precise speed for your song,
especially when you use a metronomeor a click trackon a computer.You set your
metronome or click to a specific bpm number, and it tick-tocks back and forth
at the proper speed. When you play along to the metronome or click track,
you’re playing at exactly the right tempo.Setting the tempo—120 quarter-note beats per minute.As you’ll soon see, many
notation markings (espe-
cially for classical music)
are in Italian. This speaks
to the importance of Italian
culture in the evolution of
Western music, but it also
means it wouldn’t be a
bad thing to know a little
Italian—and I don’t mean
a short guy named Mario!NoteIn classical music, the
abbreviation MM (for
Maelzel’s Metronome) is
used to represent beats
per minute.NoteAmetronomeis a device that precisely ticks off beat after beat at a
specified tempo. Metronomes can be either old-fashioned, pendulum-type
affairs or modern computerized devices that emit a type of electronic
beat. The metronome was invented by a man named Maelzel, who was a con-
temporary of Beethoven. In addition to inventing the metronome, Maelzel also
developed a hearing aid to help Beethoven deal with his advancing deafness.
When you’re playing professionally (especially in recording studios), you might
run into something called a click track,which is a type of electronic metronome.
The click track is typically played on a synthesized instrument, like an electronic
woodblock or cowbell. Click tracks can also be generated by computerized
sequencing and recording programs, for when you’re recording at home. (To
hear what a click track sounds like, listen to the rhythm and melody exercises on
the accompanying CD; I use a click to “count off” each of the exercises.)DefinitionItalian Tempo Terms
The second way to indicate tempo, typically found in orchestral music, is
through the use of traditional Italian musical terms. These terms correspond to
general tempo ranges, as indicated in the following table, which is arranged
from the very slowest to the very fastest tempo.