Moderato is an Italian tempo marking meaning “moderate”. It is usually played at about 108–120 BPM. Moderato means moderate: neither slow nor fast. It also qualifies other markings, as in Allegro moderato. The metronome on this page starts at 112 BPM, in the middle of the range.
How fast is Moderato?
Moderato is roughly 108–120 beats per minute. At 108 BPM one beat lasts 556 ms; at 120 BPM it lasts 500 ms. Reference books and metronome makers print slightly different ranges, so treat these as conventions rather than rules.
Beat lengths across the Moderato range
Tempo
Quarter note
Eighth note
One bar of 4/4
108 BPM
556 ms
278 ms
2.22 s
112 BPM
536 ms
268 ms
2.14 s
120 BPM
500 ms
250 ms
2.00 s
What does Moderato mean?
Moderato translates as “moderate”. Moderato means moderate: neither slow nor fast. It also qualifies other markings, as in Allegro moderato.
Moderato compared with neighbouring markings
Andantino (80–108 BPM) is the next marking slower. Allegretto (112–120 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 Moderato
Moderato is a comfortable working tempo for most instruments. Use it to play a whole passage through without stopping before you push the speed.