Guide
Dynamics and Tempo Markings Explained
How loud and how fast are never absolute - they're relative and relational.
Our glossary lists the individual Italian terms for dynamics and tempo; this page is about how those two categories actually function in practice, which matters more than memorizing the vocabulary.
The dynamic scale
Dynamics - how loud or soft to play - are usually written as abbreviations of Italian words, from softest to loudest:
- ppp (pianississimo) - as soft as possible
- pp (pianissimo) - very soft
- p (piano) - soft
- mp (mezzo piano) - moderately soft
- mf (mezzo forte) - moderately loud
- f (forte) - loud
- ff (fortissimo) - very loud
- fff (fortississimo) - as loud as possible
Some composers went further still - Tchaikovsky marked a famous passage in his "Pathétique" Symphony pppppp - though at that point the markings describe an atmosphere more than a measurable volume. Gradual changes are shown with words (crescendo, getting louder; diminuendo, getting softer) or with long, tapering wedge shapes called hairpins. Sudden accents get their own marks, such as sfz (sforzando, a forceful accent) or fp (loud, then immediately soft).
Dynamics are relative, not absolute
A forte in a Mozart symphony and a forte in a Mahler symphony don't necessarily hit the same volume in absolute terms - dynamics markings describe a level relative to everything else in that specific piece, not a fixed decibel target. A piano passage right after a fortissimo climax will register as quieter than the same marking would in a piece that never gets loud at all. Composers also write crescendo and diminuendo to shape a smooth path between two dynamic levels, rather than jumping abruptly.
Dynamics also depend on the instrument and the room. A forte from a solo flute and a forte from eight horns are very different things, and orchestras adjust their playing to the hall they're in. Part of a conductor's job in rehearsal is balancing these levels so that the most important line can always be heard.
Tempo is a target, not a metronome click
A tempo marking like allegro describes a general character and rough speed range rather than one exact number, which is why two different recordings of the same piece, by different performers, can have noticeably different tempos while both being "correct." Many tempo words describe mood as much as speed: allegro originally meant "cheerful," and andante "walking."
Since the early 1800s, composers have also been able to specify an exact tempo using a metronome marking (written as, for example, ♩ = 120, meaning 120 quarter-note beats per minute), giving a precise target where a word like allegro alone would leave room for interpretation. Our tempo and terms translator shows the rough BPM range behind each tempo word. Even metronome markings aren't the last word: Beethoven was one of the first composers to use them, and some of his markings are so fast that performers still debate whether he meant them literally.
Changing the tempo
Music rarely stays at one speed. Composers mark gradual changes - accelerando (speeding up), ritardando or rallentando (slowing down) - and sudden ones, such as più mosso (faster) or meno mosso (slower), with a tempo signaling a return to the original speed. Beyond what's written, performers also use rubato, "robbed time": pushing ahead and holding back expressively within a phrase. It's essential to Romantic music, especially Chopin's, and it's one of the main things that makes two performances of the same piece sound so different.
Why this matters for listening
Because both categories leave room for interpretation, the same written score can sound genuinely different in the hands of different performers - part of why our how to choose a recording guide exists at all. Learning to notice where a performer chooses to push tempo, hold back, or shape a crescendo is one of the most direct ways to start hearing interpretation as its own skill, separate from the notes on the page.
A good exercise: pick a short piece you like and listen to two recordings back to back. Time how long each takes, and notice where one is louder, softer, faster, or slower than the other. You'll quickly start to hear the performers' choices - and to form opinions of your own.