Time
How fast is the pulse?
Twice as many notes does not automatically mean twice the tempo.
Take the guided lessonGive the pulse a speed
You just found a pulse. BPM tells you how many of those beats pass in one minute. At 60 BPM, one beat takes one second; at 120 BPM, it takes half a second.
Always ask what note value receives that number. Here the quarter note is the pulse. Later, a 6/8 example will use the dotted quarter instead.
More attacks, same clock
Both examples use an 80 BPM quarter-note pulse. Tap the clicks through both. The second fits more notes between the same beats.
● attack · — hold · · silence. The quiet high click is the pulse.
The duration of one beat
Beat duration in seconds = 60 divided by BPM.
At 120 BPM, how long is a four-beat bar?
Tempo words describe a character too
Allegro always means one exact BPM.
Words such as largo, andante, and allegro suggest pace and character. A metronome marking gives a more explicit speed and beat unit.
Takeaways
- BPM measures the chosen pulse, not the number of attacks.
- A busier rhythm can share exactly the same tempo.