Lento is an Italian tempo marking meaning “slow”. It is usually played at about 40–60 BPM. Lento simply means slow. It overlaps Largo in speed but carries less of Largo’s sense of breadth and grandeur. The metronome on this page starts at 52 BPM, in the middle of the range.
How fast is Lento?
Lento is roughly 40–60 beats per minute. At 40 BPM one beat lasts 1,500 ms; at 60 BPM it lasts 1,000 ms. Reference books and metronome makers print slightly different ranges, so treat these as conventions rather than rules.
Beat lengths across the Lento range
Tempo
Quarter note
Eighth note
One bar of 4/4
40 BPM
1,500 ms
750 ms
6.00 s
52 BPM
1,154 ms
577 ms
4.62 s
60 BPM
1,000 ms
500 ms
4.00 s
What does Lento mean?
Lento translates as “slow”. Lento simply means slow. It overlaps Largo in speed but carries less of Largo’s sense of breadth and grandeur.
Lento compared with neighbouring markings
Largo (40–60 BPM) is the next marking slower. Larghetto (60–66 BPM) is the next marking faster. Ranges overlap at the edges, which is why a tempo such as 120 BPM can be described as either Moderato or Allegro.
Practising at Lento
Treat Lento as a plain slow tempo. A subdivided click keeps you from rushing into the next beat, which is the most common timing fault at slow speeds.