Andante: At a walking pace (76–108 BPM)
Andante means at a walking pace, a tempo of roughly 76-108 BPM sitting between the slow and moderate ends of the spectrum.
Andante Metronome: 76 to 108 BPM
Press play to hear Andante at 92 BPM, or switch to the slow and fast ends of the range.
Loops until you press Stop. Beat 1 is accented so you can feel where the bar starts.
What Andante Means
Andante is one of the most frequently used tempo markings, indicating a comfortable walking pace. It sits at the boundary between slow and moderate tempos, making it versatile and natural-sounding. The term literally means 'walking' in Italian, and performers often find it helpful to imagine a relaxed stroll when interpreting this tempo.
Etymology
Italian, from 'andare' meaning 'to walk, to go'
BPM Range
Minimum: 76 BPM
Maximum: 108 BPM
Typical: 92 BPM
Let andante feel natural and unhurried, like a comfortable walk. Avoid the common mistake of playing andante too slowly, it should have gentle forward momentum.
Andante in Real Music
Andante is one of the most frequently written markings in all of music, and it usually indicates a movement that flows rather than one that lingers. Mozart marked the second movement of his Piano Concerto No. 21 Andante, and its serene triplet accompaniment made the movement famous all over again when it appeared in the film Elvira Madigan. Haydn's Surprise Symphony, No. 94, has an Andante second movement whose gentle theme exists partly to make the sudden fortissimo chord land; Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony gives its Scene by the Brook the marking Andante molto mosso, walking with a great deal of motion. Mozart's Piano Sonata K. 331 opens, unusually, with an Andante grazioso theme and variations rather than a fast sonata-form movement. The wide 76-108 BPM span is why the marking causes so much argument. Baroque and Classical performers generally take andante nearer the quicker end, treating it as genuinely moving music, while nineteenth-century practice pulled it toward the slow side until andante began to feel like a slow tempo. Outside classical music the same pace underpins a great deal of pop balladry and film scoring, where 80-100 BPM is the natural home of a mid-tempo song. The recurring mistake is playing andante too slowly and losing the walk.
Example Pieces
- Piano Concerto No. 21, 2nd movement (Andante), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral', 2nd movement, Ludwig van Beethoven
- Surprise Symphony No. 94, 2nd movement (Andante), Joseph Haydn
- Piano Sonata No. 11, K. 331, 1st movement (Andante grazioso), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Common Genres
Related Tempo Markings
Frequently Asked Questions
What BPM is andante?
Andante typically ranges from 76-108 BPM, with a common midpoint around 92 BPM. The exact speed depends on the piece's character and time signature.
Is andante slow or moderate?
Andante sits between slow and moderate. It is a comfortable walking pace. While often grouped with moderate tempos, it can lean slower or faster depending on musical context.
Is andante faster than adagio?
Yes. Andante spans 76-108 BPM while adagio runs 66-76 BPM, so andante moves faster. Adagio asks for an unhurried, at-ease pace; andante asks for the steady momentum of walking.
What pieces are marked andante?
The Andante second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 is among the most famous, along with the Andante of Haydn's Surprise Symphony No. 94 and the Andante grazioso opening Mozart's Piano Sonata K. 331.
How fast is andante on a metronome?
Set a metronome anywhere from 76 to 108 BPM for andante, with about 92 BPM a safe midpoint. Choose the faster end when the music has short note values and the slower end for long, sustained lines.
Related References
Practise Andante at Any Tempo
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