Allegretto is an Italian tempo marking meaning “a little lively”. It is usually played at about 112–120 BPM. Allegretto is lighter and a little slower than Allegro: moderately fast with a graceful, easy motion. The metronome on this page starts at 116 BPM, in the middle of the range.
How fast is Allegretto?
Allegretto is roughly 112–120 beats per minute. At 112 BPM one beat lasts 536 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 Allegretto range
Tempo
Quarter note
Eighth note
One bar of 4/4
112 BPM
536 ms
268 ms
2.14 s
116 BPM
517 ms
259 ms
2.07 s
120 BPM
500 ms
250 ms
2.00 s
What does Allegretto mean?
Allegretto translates as “a little lively”. Allegretto is lighter and a little slower than Allegro: moderately fast with a graceful, easy motion.
Allegretto compared with neighbouring markings
Moderato (108–120 BPM) is the next marking slower. Allegro (120–156 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 Allegretto
Allegretto should feel lively without strain. If your technique tightens at this tempo, practise a few BPM slower and climb in small steps.