Thing#7 - tempo names

[sbrbot]

In CVP one can only set tempo by numbers. That's OK if you know by heart correlation between tempo ranges and tempo names (Alegro, Adagio, Vivace,...). But maybe it would be nice to have some kind of settings on LCD that could help here with tempo names.

[Carlo]

Hi!

I fully agree with you.

That's why I keep having my old, mechanical metronome, with both "by-number" and "by-name" denotations of tempo, just placed next to the score support of my CVP...

Best regards,

[sbrbot]

Eventually I know that there's no more than about 20 tempo names and that one musician should learn it but having so much other functionalities in CVP this one should not be the problem. (I think)

About mechanical metronome, I still have it too, but I do not use it at all. Every time when I see it somewhere in house, I promise myself that I will bring it next time on village in parent's home cellar but who knows why I still didn't do it.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

That's why I keep having my old, mechanical metronome, with both "by-number" and "by-name" denotations of tempo, just placed next to the score support of my CVP...
Exact same here! The spring broke in mine 20 years ago so it doesn't work at all, but I still keep it around for convenient reference of recommended tempo. Particularly when what I think it should be sounds weird and I need to check.

Brgds

Danny

[Philip926]

I use a Korg KDM-1 digital metronome, which I bought years and years ago. All it requires is a 9-volt battery which lasts a long time.

[Midi Magic]

Hi
I just did a google "tempo names to beats per minute " and found this at Wikipedia


From fastest to slowest, the common tempo markings are:

Prestissimo - extremely fast (200 - 208 bpm)
Vivacissimo - Very fast and lively
Presto - very fast (168 - 200 bpm)
Allegrissimo - very fast
Vivo - lively and fast
Vivace - lively and fast (~140 bpm)
Allegro - fast and bright (120 - 168 bpm)
Allegro Moderato - Moderately cheerful and quick
Allegretto - moderately fast (but less so than Allegro)
Moderato - moderately (90 - 115 bpm)
Andantino - Alternatively faster or slower than Andante.
Andante - at a walking pace (76 - 108 bpm)
Adagietto - Rather slow (70-80 bpm)
Adagio - slow and stately (literally, at ease) (66 - 76 bpm)
Grave - slow and solemn
Larghetto - rather broadly (60 - 66 bpm)
Lento - very slow (60 - 40 bpm)
Largamente/Largo - "broadly", very slow (40 bpm and below)

[Carlo]

Hi!

Thank you, Midi Magic, for your useful correspondence table between Italian terms and numerical denotations of tempo.

On watching it as a whole, I would like to point out (dedicated to possible fans of the Italian language) the particular linguistic feature of suffixes "-ino" (like in "Andantino"), "-etto" (like in "Larghetto"), "-issimo" (like in "Prestissimo").

These suffixes act as modifiers of the normal endings of Italian nouns ("-ino" and "-etto"), adjectives and adverbs ("-issimo"), to express:

1. -ino (feminine: -ina) --> smallness; examples: (tavolo, tavolino) --> (table, small table); (casa, casina) --> (house, small house).

2. -etto (feminine: -etta) --> smallness and prettiness; examples: (ragazzo, ragazzetto) --> (boy, pretty boy); (casa, casetta) --> (house, pretty house).

3. -issimo (feminine: -issima) --> absolute superlative degree; examples: (bello, bellissimo) --> (handsome, extremely handsome); (bella, bellissima) --> (beautiful, extremely beautiful).

That said, you may observe from the Midi Magic's table that, below "Moderato" level, suffixes "-ino" and "-etto" make smaller the slowness and hence increase the bpm value, whereas, above "Moderato" level, suffix "-etto" makes smaller the speed and hence decreases the bpm value (like in Allegretto with respect to Allegro).
Therefore, in the tempo scale, we may consider the Moderato level as a sort of average tempo (as its name and numerical value suggest), having fast tempos above and slow tempos below.

The "diminishing" effect of suffixes (here is the little puzzle) hence brings about quite opposite results depending on which of the two "half-scales" it is applied in.

Best regards,

[Midi Magic]

Hi Carlo

I must point out it is NOT my table , but one I copied from Wikipedia and we all know how good that is !!!!

[dbjorck]

Hi!

The table was however correct (notwithstanding changes over time, it was for instance faster in the 1800's, hence it is only a general guideline), and I must say that I find Wikipedia quite reliable!

And Carlos explanations were good too; for instance I once, many years ago, saw a direction which is very rare and isn't in the table; Adagissimo (I think it was a Grieg piece), and was very confused. But Carlos explanation clarifies that.

Brgds

Danny