Nat 3Nat 4Nat 5HigherAdvanced Higher
Tempo
Tempo is the speed of the music, usually measured in beats per minute.
Level relevance: introduced at Nat 3; tagged for every later level where the same concept remains useful.
Explanation
Tempo describes how fast or slow a piece of music moves and is usually measured in beats per minute, or BPM. In a DAW, the tempo controls the timing grid and affects sequenced material, loops, and delay-based effects. Choosing the correct tempo is important because it shapes the feel of the track and helps different parts stay locked together.
Topics
TimingSequencingMusic basics
Curriculum statussupporting vocabulary
Review statusdraft
Related terms
Quantisation
Quantisation moves notes or events closer to a timing grid to make a performance tighter.
View term