| Term | Symbol | M.M. | Tempo (bpm) | Meaning |
| Larghissimo | Larghissimo | 40 | ≤ 40 | Extremely slow. |
| Lentissimo | Lentissimo | -- | -- | Extremely slow; not quite as slow as Larghissimo. |
| Adagissimo | Adagissimo | -- | -- | Extremely slow; slower than Largo. |
| Largo | Largo | 56 | 40 - 60 | Very, very slow. |
| Adagio | Adagio | -- | 66 - 76 | Very slow. |
| Lento | Lento | -- | 60 - 69 | Very slow; not quite as slow as Largo. |
| Larghetto | Larghetto | 66 | 60 - 66 | Slow. |
| Adagietto | Adagietto | -- | -- | Slow; a little faster than Adagio. |
| Andante | Andante | 88 | 76 - 108 | Moderate tempo; moving along or flowing. |
| Andantino | Andantino | -- | -- | Moderate tempo; slightly faster than Andante, but slower than Moderato. |
| Moderato | Moderato | -- | 108 - 120 | Moderately; A moderate tempo. |
| Allegretto | Allegretto | -- | 120 - 130 | Rather fast tempo; slightly faster than Moderato, but slower than Allegro. |
| Allegro | Allegro | 120 | 120 - 168 | Fast bright tempo. |
| Allegro Molto | Allegro Molto | -- | 140 - 150 | More lively. Very brisk. |
| Vivace | Vivace | 168 | 168 - 189 | Vivacious; quick. |
| Vivo | Vivo | -- | -- | Slightly faster than Vivace. |
| Presto | Presto | -- | 168 - 200 | Very fast or quick. |
| Allegrissimo | Allegrissimo | 208 | -- | Very fast; between Presto and Vivacissimo. |
| Vivacissimo | Vivacissimo | -- | -- | More intense or brighter than Vivace. |
| Prestissimo | Prestissimo | -- | 200 - 208 | Very, very fast. |
M.M. refers to the Maelzel Metronome. Although the metronome was first invented by Étienne Loulié in 1696, it's rather large size (roughly 2 meters high) made it pretty much unusable. The modern (spring operated) metronome, a mechanical device capable of clicking at certain specific rates, was invented by Dutch musician Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel around 1812. Somehow though, it was patented by, and ultimately named for Johannes Maelzel. Thus, M.M. often appears on music scores and as an example, M.M.= 80 would mean 80 beats per minute on a Maelzel Metronome.