Metronome marks

Tempo marks often include a metronome mark value. Metronome marks show the speed of the music, indicated in beats per minute, or bpm. For example, a bpm of 60 means one beat per second. The more beats per minute, the faster the music.



Figure: A metronome mark shown as a range

Metronome marks can be precise, such as = 176, or can indicate an acceptable range, such as = 152-176. They can also be shown in parentheses, which is useful if the metronome mark is intended as a guide rather than a fixed value.

The beat unit used in metronome marks commonly relates to the meter, for example, the metronome mark beat unit is often a quarter note in 4/4 but a dotted quarter note in 6/8.

In Dorico Pro, metronome marks can appear as an individual value or as a range. Depending on the type and appearance of metronome marks, the bpm value can indicate a fixed tempo or an approximate tempo.