Standard Metronome Timings and Ratios

"Medium" Ten1po "March" Tempo

1 3:1 4:1

40
- - 80
�

11201 160
42 84 126 168
44 88 132 ► 176
46 92 138 184
48 96 144 192
Multiples of 2 50
52
54
100
104
108
J ► [
200
208

56 112 Notes
60 Seconds 58 ...,, 116
I ► 60 120 These ru·e tempos for a struidru·d mechruiical metronome. 80 is
considered a "1nedium" tempo, depending on the note value (what
63 126
gets the beat). Here are four com1non tempos using 80 as the base
Multiples of 3 66 132 number, with different note values:
69 138
I ►
72 144 ) = 80: Adagio I J = 80: Andante Id= 80: Allegro I o = 80: Presto
Average herut rate
of adult (ea. 70) 76 152
80 160 Here are common te1npo rruiges with a crotchet as the base note
value:
84 168
88 172 Lru·go: 40-66 Moderato: 66-126
92 184 Lru·ghetto: 60-66 Allegro: 84-144
96 192 Lento: 52-108 Presto: 100-152
Multiples of 4 Adagio: 50-76 Vivace: 80-160
100 200
Andruite: 56-108
104 _ - 208
108 Tempos are relative: interpretation (most importruit), level of
112 reverberation in the performruice space, the perfonner's articula­
116 tion, technical skill ruid the difficulty of the piece (for better or
120 worse) may affect the tempo.
126
Although digital n1etronomes allow musiciruis to increase or
132 decrease the tempo in minute increments, (120, 121, 122, etc.), it is
Multiples of 6
138 generally unnecessary to indicate tempos with this much accuracy.
144 The difference from one number to the next, for exrunple 60 to 61,
152 ruid even to 62, is not noticeable. The lower the number, the greater
the perception between one number (41, 42, etc.) ruid the next.
160
168 Interestingly, certain te1npos may be related to heart rates. Heart
Multiples of 8 176 rate shows a fairly close inverse corTelation with body size. F etal
184 heart rates normally rruige between 120 ru1d 180 beats per minute.
200 During infruicy it drops to about 120 beats per minute. As a child
grows, it's heart rate slows. A seven-yeru· old's heart beats about 90
208
times per minute. By the age of 18, the heart rate has stabilized to
ca.70 beats per minute (ea. 100,000 beats per day). Generally, a
fe1nale's herut beats faster thrui a n1ale's.