tempo

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountablemusic

   The speed at which a piece of music is played.

   Grammar: Can be countable (a fast tempo) or uncountable (changes of tempo).

   Patterns

   • at a ... tempo
   • change the tempo
   • set the tempo

   The conductor asked the orchestra to play at a slower tempo.

   The tempo of the song suddenly increased.

   She struggled to keep up with the fast tempo.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   The speed or pace at which an activity or process happens.

   Grammar: Often used with 'the' or an adjective: the tempo of life; a slow tempo.

   Patterns

   • the tempo of something
   • increase the tempo
   • slow the tempo

   The tempo of the game picked up in the second half.

   The tempo of modern life can be exhausting.

   They tried to slow the tempo of the negotiations.

Word forms

Common combinations

fast tempo

The drummer kept a fast tempo throughout the piece.

slow tempo

The ballad is played at a slow tempo.

change of tempo

There is a sudden change of tempo in the middle of the symphony.

keep tempo

It's hard to keep tempo when you can't hear the other musicians.

tempo of life

Many people move to the countryside to escape the tempo of city life.

Synonyms and how they differ

pace

Pace is a general word for speed and can replace tempo in most non-musical contexts, but not in music.

speed

Speed is more about how fast something moves, while tempo often suggests a rhythm or rate of activity.

rhythm

Rhythm refers to the pattern of beats, not the speed; tempo is the speed itself.

Word family

tempo marking noun

A word or phrase in sheet music indicating the speed.

Commonly confused: tempo or temp? tempo or temporal?

Practice

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