Tempo Chart

[Craig Orndorff]

Does anybody have a good reference for tempos when the BPM is not specified? I’m working through the Rock Bass Goldmine book and a good chunk of it has the tempos as “moderately slow,” “fast,” etc. I’ve found charts for the Italian markings (some of which seem to contradict one another), but there’s the matter that some of the BPMs fall in a huge range (Andante—76 to 108). I know there’s this thing called Google, but just wondering if anybody out there has a translation laying around, or better yet, original thoughts on the matter. Thanks!

 

[Polish Thunder]

I downloaded a free metronome app that has a function to where you tap the beat/tempo and it will give you what the BPM is. The one I use is called Metronome.

 

[Malcolm35]

Ole Google to the rescue. Just ask what bpm for, name of the song.... I know you want the range, I do not have a chart for that, however, Google can get you a bpm if you ask about a specific song.

Hope that may help.

 

[Craig Orndorff]

Ole Google to the rescue. Just ask what bpm for, name of the song....

Well, I’ve done that before for actual songs, but these are exercises.

 

[Malcolm35]

Do exerices need to be that exact? I'd just pick something....

 

[Craig Orndorff]

Do exerices need to be that exact? I'd just pick something....

Well, like I said, even the Italian tempo markings seem to have a range of 20+ bpm, so I’d like to be in the ballpark.....

I downloaded a free metronome app that has a function to where you tap the beat/tempo and it will give you what the BPM is. The one I use is called Metronome.

....that said, this is probably the solution. It comes with play along tracks (although the app is a bear in mobile), so I can probably work it out.

 

[Papageno]

What is considered a "fast" tempo depends significantly of what is the typical subdivision in a given genre.

For example, in classical music, the typical subdivision is frequently the 16th note, so that a tempo of 130 bpm is labelled "allegro" (fast), and 180 bpm would be "presto" or "prestissimo" (very fast).

In jazz, the typical subdivision is usually the 8th note (frequently played swung), so that 130 bmp is considered a "medium" tempo and it is not rare to find tempi beyond 300 bpm.