The steady pulse underneath
Nearly all music has a steady pulse. Each pulse is a beat, and tempo counts how many beats fit into a minute - beats per minute, or BPM.
60 BPM is one beat a second, roughly a slow walk. 120 BPM is a brisk march. Tapping along and reading the number back is the quickest way to learn what a tempo feels like.
- Slow: 60-76 BPM
- Moderate: 84-108 BPM
- Fast: 120-168 BPM
Key takeaways
- • Tempo = beats per minute
- • The beat stays even; the notes on top can be busy or sparse
- • Tap first, count later - feel it before you read it
Try it in the Toolbox
Test yourself
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At 60 BPM, one beat lasts...