Tempo

Tempo markings can be found in the Tempo palette of the Basic and Advanced workspaces. They are supplied as metronome marks, but can be subsequently edited to display any tempo or expression you want. Playback tempo can be varied throughout the score by using multiple tempo markings, visible or invisible.

Add a tempo marking

Use any of the following methods:

• Select a note or rest and press the keyboard shortcut Alt+T.
• Select a note or rest, and from the menu bar chose Add→Text...→Tempo Marking.
• Select a note or rest and double-click an appropriate metronome mark in the Tempo palette;
• Drag-and-drop a metronome mark from the Tempo palette directly onto a note or rest.

Note: If a tempo marking is applied from the menu or using a keyboard shortcut, the beat note automatically follows the time signature. The advantage of applying from a palette is that you can chose which beat note to use.

Edit tempo

To change the tempo of an existing metronome mark in the score:

1. Enter Edit mode for the tempo mark in question;
2. Edit the metronome number and/or the beat note as required;
3. Exit Edit mode.

You can also override the tempo of an existing metronome mark from the Inspector:

1. Select the tempo mark;

2. Untick "Follow text" in the "Tempo Marking" section of the Inspector;

3. Set the desired playback tempo in the "Tempo" field underneath.

Note: Playback may be faster or slower if the tempo setting in the play panel is at a percentage other than 100%.

Edit tempo text

Tempo marks can be edited and formatted just like any other text object. To set text properties or text style, see Text styles and properties.

The tempo indicated by a metronome mark usually persists even if overwritten by an expression—such as Andante, Moderato etc. You can also add further text to a plain metronome mark. e.g.

Ritardando and accelerando

Gradual tempo changes like ritardando ("rit.") and accelerando ("accel.") can be added to the score as system text, but currently don't have any effect on playback. The effect can be achieved, however, by stepping down the tempo using multiple invisible tempo markings. In this example, the tempo is decreased by 10 BPM on the first note of each measure, starting from 110 BPM before the ritardando. Each tempo change is made invisible by unchecking the Visible checkbox in the Inspector, so that only the ritardando shows on the printed score.

A plugin has been developed to automate this process: TempoChanges

Fermatas

Fermatas, available in the Articulations and Ornaments palette, have a Time stretch property that can be set via the Inspector. By default, this property is set to 1.00. To have MuseScore play back a fermata for twice its normal duration, click on the fermata and set "Time stretch" to 2.00.

Play panel

• Display the play panel: View→Play Panel or F11 (Mac: fn+F11)

• Change the percentage of the score's actual tempo using the Tempo slider

This setting is not saved in the score and will proportionally override all tempo markings set in the score. If you have multiple tempo markings in the score, the BPM (Beats per Minute) number displayed above the slider will depend on where in the score you are. For example, if you have a tempo of 80 BPM set, and the Play Panel is set to 120% of tempo, the actual tempo of the playback will be 96 BPM, which you can tell by the number displayed above the percentage in the Play Panel.

Note: BPM is always measured and displayed in quarter note beats per minute, regardless of the (denominator of the) time signature in effect.

See also

• Play mode
• Time signature