What Is Tempo?
Tempo is a fancy music word that means the speed of the beat. Is the beat fast or slow? That is the tempo!
A fast tempo means the beats come quickly, close together. Think of a hummingbird's wings or a rabbit hopping quickly: fast, fast, fast, fast! Fast music makes you want to run, dance, and jump.
A slow tempo means the beats come slowly, with more time between them. Think of an elephant walking or a big clock swinging: slow... slow... slow... slow. Slow music makes you feel calm and relaxed.
The word tempo comes from Italian (music uses lots of Italian words!). Musicians use tempo to decide how fast or slow to play a piece of music. A lullaby has a slow tempo because it helps babies fall asleep. A dance song has a fast tempo because it makes people want to move!