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Topic: values of tempo terms (Read 5858 times) previous topic - next topic

values of tempo terms

Would it be possible to have a table containing the tempo terms and their beats/minute instead of their definition or rate of speed?

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #1 –
I do not understand your question. In NWC, you specify a tempo in beats per minute. You can also optionally display a standard text expression describing the tempo, but the numeric tempo still controls the playback speed.

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #2 –
In other words, my question was: what theoric value of beat/min must one associate to, for example, andante, largo, presto, etc.?

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #3 –
There are no hard and fast rules on how to equate tempo marks into numeric tempo, so when not specified, the performer should satisfy the spirit of the mark. When entering into NWC, NWC is the performer, but you are its guide, and the numeric tempo allows you to specify it to what sounds best.

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #5 –
The quickest answer is ot look at a "métronome" (don't know the word in English : you know, that mechanical thing any musician hates).

But one thing to keep in mind is that some Largo can seem quicker than some Andante... Due to the number of notes per beat, for example a Largo with sixteenth (double-croches) and a Presto with only half notes...

Another thing : the real tempo is rarely indicated, giving the performer(s) many differences in interpretation. As it appears, in concert it is always quicker... ;-)

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #6 –
... and very often gets faster as it goes along, especially if it also gets louder... :-)

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #7 –
A note for marsu regarding "métronome": This is one of those fortunate times when the English word is just the French word pronounced differently and written without diacritics. Would that life (and translation) were always that easy.

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #8 –
So Grant, should I invite you to drink a "café" in a coffee shop, or a coffee in a café ? :-)

Well, I guess translators will still be needed for a long time!

To help for "francophone" ppl, I'll write a page giving translation between US English, UK ENglish, (what about Australia ? Same as US it seems ?), French, maybe german... Soon on your PC screens :-)

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #9 –
Andrew, really sorry if I hurted your sensivity !!

I do _not_ suppose that US is he source of Australian culture, (they have enough influence on the rest of the world, on lil' cathodic or movie screens, plus radio) but only that for musical terms used in NWC forum, it seems that Australian people use the same term as the North-american people. Unless you use hemi-semi-demi-quaver... I think that your language took a different way than the UK, just as Quebec did about the french language.
And the boats that arrived in 1788 certainy did not came from America :-)

Should I be forgiven if I give this link http://aboriginalart.com.au/didgeridoo/dig_background.html ?

NWCly yours,
                      Marsu

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #10 –
Thanks for that, Marsu! _Very_ cool link! Now I'll just have to figure out how to download the audio clips, since my machine isn't quite fast enough for RealAudio :-(

Or get a newer computer :-)

Re: values of tempo terms

Reply #11 –
Marsu!

Whilst most people know otherwise, many Australians would vehemently deny that the US is their main cultural influence. (Mine personally is probably India, the Middle East or Africa, but that's another story). I guess many Aussies would look to Mother England, or her estranged sister, Ireland. In this Century, most Australian immigration has been from Europe (Italy, Greece - Melbourne has the highest Greek population in a city outside of Greece) and latterly from Vietnam, Lebanon, Indonesia, though the single most significant source country remains the Olde Countrye. I guess most US culture is imported through that old cathode ray tube that i never watch (preferring to spend most of my spare time watching the computer's!)

A