Allegro tempo (120–156 BPM)

• 120–156BPM (approx.)
• 138metronome preset
• 435 msper beat at 138

What does Allegro mean?

Allegro means fast and lively, roughly 120–156 BPM. It is the most common marking for the fast movements of sonatas, concertos and symphonies, and is often modified: Allegro moderato, Allegro ma non troppo (not too much), Allegro assai (very).

Origin: From Latin alacer ("brisk, lively").

How fast is Allegro?

On most modern metronomes Allegro covers roughly 120–156 BPM — that is a beat every 385–500 ms. The BPM refers to the beat of the time signature (a quarter note in 4/4, a dotted quarter in 6/8 when it is felt in two). Try a few tempos within the range: 120 BPM, 138 BPM, 156 BPM.

Famous examples

• Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik — the 1st movement Allegro
• Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, "Spring" — the 1st movement Allegro

Practice tips for Allegro

• Learn Allegro passages slowly first, then use the speed trainer to climb in 2–4 BPM steps.
• Practise in short bursts at full tempo, then rest.
• Check fast scales with sixteenth-note subdivisions at a lower tempo before relying on the beat alone.

All tempo markings

Marking	Meaning	Approx. BPM
Larghissimo	as broadly as possible	20–24
Grave	grave, solemn, heavy	25–45
Largo	broad, wide	40–60
Lento	slow	45–60
Larghetto	rather broadly	60–66
Adagio	at ease, slowly	66–76
Andante	walking pace	76–108
Moderato	moderately	108–120
Allegretto	moderately fast, a little lively	112–120
Allegro	fast, lively, cheerful	120–156
Vivace	lively, vivacious	156–176
Presto	very fast, quickly	168–200
Prestissimo	as fast as possible	200+

Slower: Allegretto · Faster: Vivace · Read the full tempo markings guide.

FAQ