Types of tempo marks

Dorico Elements groups tempo marks into different types according to their function and effect on the music.

In Dorico Elements, there are the following types of tempo marks:

Absolute Tempo Change

Indicates a defined change in tempo, and is often shown with a metronome mark. For example, “Adagio =76”.

Gradual Tempo Change

Indicates a change in tempo over a defined period of time, such as rallentando (slowing down) or accelerando (speeding up).

Relative Tempo Change

Indicates a change in tempo that is relative to the previous tempo, such as mosso (movement).

Relative tempo changes often include modifiers that qualify the change, such as poco meno mosso (a little less movement), and are not defined by a metronome mark. You can, however, set a relative metronome mark change as a percentage of the previous metronome mark that updates automatically if the previous metronome mark changes.

Reset Tempo

Returns the tempo to the previous tempo, such as A tempo, or a previously defined tempo, such as Tempo primo (return to the first tempo of the piece).

Tempo Equation

Indicates a change in the beat unit on which metronome marks are based. For example, if the time signature changes from 3/4 to 6/8, a tempo equation of = indicates the same metronome mark value that applied to the quarter note beat unit in 3/4 now applies to the dotted quarter note beat unit in 6/8.