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Metronome marks

A basic metronome mark is simple to write:

     
     \tempo 4 = 120
     c2 d
     e4. d8 c2

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Tempo indications with text can be used instead:

     
     \tempo "Allegretto"
     c4 e d c
     b4. a16 b c4 r4

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Combining a metronome mark and text will automatically place the metronome mark within parentheses:

     
     \tempo "Allegro" 4 = 160
     g4 c d e
     d4 b g2

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In general, the text can be any markup object:

     
     \tempo \markup { \italic Faster } 4 = 132
     a8-. r8 b-. r gis-. r a-. r

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A parenthesized metronome mark with no textual indication may be written by including an empty string in the input:

     
     \tempo "" 8 = 96
     d4 g e c

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Selected Snippets

Printing metronome and rehearsal marks below the staff

By default, metronome and rehearsal marks are printed above the staff. To place them below the staff simply set the direction property of MetronomeMark or RehearsalMark appropriately.

     
     \layout { ragged-right = ##f }
     
     {
       % Metronome marks below the staff 
       \override Score.MetronomeMark #'direction = #DOWN
       \tempo 8. = 120
       c''1
     
       % Rehearsal marks below the staff
       \override Score.RehearsalMark #'direction = #DOWN
       \mark \default
       c''1
     }

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Changing the tempo without a metronome mark

To change the tempo in MIDI output without printing anything, make the metronome mark invisible:

     
     \score {
       \new Staff \relative c' {
         \tempo 4 = 160
         c4 e g b
         c4 b d c
         \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t
         \tempo 4 = 96
         d,4 fis a cis
         d4 cis e d
       }
       \layout { }
       \midi { }
     }

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Creating metronome marks in markup mode

New metronome marks can be created in markup mode, but they will not change the tempo in MIDI output.

     
     \relative c' {
       \tempo \markup {
         \concat {
           (
           \smaller \general-align #Y #DOWN \note #"16." #1
           " = "
           \smaller \general-align #Y #DOWN \note #"8" #1
           )
         }
       }
       c1
       c4 c' c,2
     }

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For more details, see Formatting text.

See also

Music Glossary: metronome, metronomic indication, tempo indication, metronome mark.

Notation Reference: Formatting text, MIDI output.

Snippets: Staff notation.

Internals Reference: MetronomeMark.

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