Prestissimo is an Italian tempo marking meaning “as quickly as possible”. It is usually played at about 200–240 BPM. Prestissimo is the fastest marking: as fast as the player can manage while staying clean. The metronome on this page starts at 208 BPM, in the middle of the range.
How fast is Prestissimo?
Prestissimo is roughly 200–240 beats per minute. At 200 BPM one beat lasts 300 ms; at 240 BPM it lasts 250 ms. Reference books and metronome makers print slightly different ranges, so treat these as conventions rather than rules.
Beat lengths across the Prestissimo range
Tempo
Quarter note
Eighth note
One bar of 4/4
200 BPM
300 ms
150 ms
1.20 s
208 BPM
288 ms
144 ms
1.15 s
240 BPM
250 ms
125 ms
1.00 s
What does Prestissimo mean?
Prestissimo translates as “as quickly as possible”. Prestissimo is the fastest marking: as fast as the player can manage while staying clean.
Prestissimo compared with neighbouring markings
Presto (168–200 BPM) is the next marking slower. Prestissimo is the fastest of the common tempo markings. Ranges overlap at the edges, which is why a tempo such as 120 BPM can be described as either Moderato or Allegro.
Practising at Prestissimo
At Prestissimo the clean tempo is the limit. Find your fastest controlled speed, play just above it in short bursts, and feel the music in half time.