Beginner Beats Per Minute

[Jeanette]

If I am playing something in 2/4 time and it states allegro roughly how many bpm should I be doing?

Thank you

Jx

 

[aldevis]

If I am playing something in 2/4 time and it states allegro roughly how many bpm should I be doing?

Thank you

Jx

I theory 130/150 crochets per minutes but It is not an absolute truth. "Allegro" means something like "cheerfully happy". If it sounds "cheerfully happy" you are probably doing it right.
They are still debating the Ouverture of the Marriage Of Figaro

edit I feel like adding my favourite tempo marking:

[h=1]Pictures at an Exhibition: I. Promenade. Allegro giusto, nel modo rustico, senza allegrezza, ma poco sostenuto - attacca[/h]

 

[kevgermany]

I theory 130/150 crochets per minutes but It is not an absolute truth. "Allegro" means something like "cheerfully happy". If it sounds "cheerfully happy" you are probably doing it right.
They are still debating the Ouverture of the Marriage Of Figaro

edit I feel like adding my favourite tempo marking:

[h=1]Pictures at an Exhibition: I. Promenade. Allegro giusto, nel modo rustico, senza allegrezza, ma poco sostenuto - attacca[/h]

This is possibly a little fast, depending on what you're playing. There's a good guide here:

http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory5.htm

and you'll see that allegro can be well below 100... As said, it's more the feel of things.

 

[PaulM]

I feel like adding my favourite tempo marking:

Pictures at an Exhibition: I. Promenade. Allegro giusto, nel modo rustico, senza allegrezza, ma poco sostenuto - attacca

I was playing this as a piano duet with my wife last week. She said I'd be thrown out of an exhibition if I made such a ghastly row. In my defence, while I know the orchestral version well, I was sight reading the sax part and almost every bar has a different time signature. I think he liked variety too much.

 

[kevgermany]

...I was sight reading the sax part and almost every bar has a different time signature. I think he liked variety too much.

He was drunk most of the time, could be that as well...

 

[Tenor Viol]

He was drunk most of the time, could be that as well...

Probably explains why Ravel orchestrated it...

I was going to say that 130 - 150 is a bit quick... then I read my metronome which seems to suggest 120 - 160. An awful lot depends on period and context and I can certainly think of places where crotchet = 100 would seem reasonable. I would regard 150+ as being at least allegro vivace (since 'allegro' is usually translated as 'lively' 'vivace' somehow seems redundant...) and possibly as presto.

 

[Jeanette]

Thanks all, it is a liitle piece in my Learn as you play book "Duo in D Minor" Esprit Chedeville. My tutor left me to have a go on my own

Jx

 

[PaulM]

He was drunk most of the time, could be that as well...

His parents clearly named him Modest more in hope than expectation ;}

 

[Wisaalliam]

All this time I've been using this tool: Get Song BPM - Find the Tempo which I have to say has saved me tons of time on finding tracks to fit the tempo. Best thing is it covers some obscure genres helping me t choose my vinyls offline.

 

[GCinCT]

All this time I've been using this tool: Get Song BPM - Find the Tempo which I have to say has saved me tons of time on finding tracks to fit the tempo. Best thing is it covers some obscure genres helping me t choose my vinyls offline.

I just checked this site out and looked at a few Charlie Parker recordings. It's terribly inaccurate. All the tempos were way too slow and it showed "Moose the Mooche" having a time signature of 3/4. Not sure where they are getting their information but clearly no one has listened to these recordings.

 

[Pete Effamy]

I think that the personality of the piece should dictate and that BPM is just a guide. Pieces will often give word(s) that are related to tempo and words that are related to feel/personality. If a tune says Prestissimo then you know you have to get as close as you dare without breaking down. If the direction is Allegro, ask yourself if a listener would say that what you played was fast or medium (or slow!). Capturing the mood is more important. Otherwise you could critique the ultra fast recordings of Vivaldi Four Seasons, for example, as being too fast.

 

[jbtsax]

At least in the U.S. 120 bpm is the "standard" march tempo. I know some British marches are slower. I have always used that tempo as the "entry level" to allegro. It is all relative to the style. A dance tune played at 110 - 120 bpm in jazz would be a "moderate" swing.

 

[Pete Effamy]

At least in the U.S. 120 bpm is the "standard" march tempo. I know some British marches are slower. I have always used that tempo as the "entry level" to allegro. It is all relative to the style. A dance tune played at 110 - 120 bpm in jazz would be a "moderate" swing.

We’re more leisurely over here, about 108. Pretty cool, almost Disco.

 

[nigeld]

The Gurkhas march at 140bpm.

 

[Pete Effamy]

The Gurkhas march at 140bpm.

As did the Royal Green Jackets, once based in Winchester

 

[Tenor Viol]

The RAF march rather quicker than the Army....

 

[Targa]

But the army do it with more style:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2ecasPqhgk

 

[Dibbs]

Years ago it was always called mm now it's always called bpm. How did that happen?

 

[aldevis]

Years ago it was always called mm now it's always called bpm. How did that happen?

Something to do with high blood pressure, I guess.

Idea for a band name:
"Alpha Male & the Beta Blockers"

 

[Colin the Bear]

Try multiples of 21. I've had the stop watch on music that moves me. 63bpm is very romantic. 84 very bluesy. I've just done a track at 168. 160 wasn't working so I adjusted it.. As soon as I hit 168 it clicked.

A lot of pop songs use 120 bpm but I find 126 gets them moving more.