Andante: Meaning, Speed and Practice Tools
Andante (At a walking pace) covers 77–84 BPM in the classical tempo tradition.At a walking pace, flowing naturally.
How fast is Andante in BPM?
Andante covers 77 to 84 BPM — roughly a walking pace, which is where the name comes from. It is the tempo at which most of the melodic material in classical music is written: slow enough to phrase and shape, moving enough that the music keeps forward momentum. For many players it is the most comfortable tempo in the entire range.
Andante in classical music
- •Moving but unhurried, with natural forward flow
- •The default tempo for melodies, themes and pedagogical exercises
- •Suits legato playing without demanding extreme sustain
- •Common in second movements of sonatas and simple scherzos
- •A safe reference tempo for metronome practice across instruments
Famous pieces in Andante
Symphony No. 5 (2nd mvt.)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1808)
A flowing Andante built on a repeated rocking accompaniment.
Sonata No. 11 (1st mvt.)
W. A. Mozart (1778)
The most widely played Andante theme in the piano repertoire.
Four Seasons — Spring (2nd mvt.)
Antonio Vivaldi (1723)
A sunny Andante that shows the tempo at its most natural.
Try the Andante metronome
Try Andante here — set to 80 BPM, limited to 77–84 BPM for this marking.
How to practise at Andante
Andante is the tempo where most metronome work happens, so it is worth getting comfortable. Here, practise single notes with full value first — many players rush them by a small amount and never notice until they record it. Then add eighths and sixteenths. Keep the pulse in your body: if you can tap it while reading, your internal clock is calibrated.
Related markings
Questions
How fast is Andante?
Andante sits between 77 and 84 BPM — about a normal walking pace.
What does Andante mean?
Andante means walking, and is marked moderately and at a walking pace.
Is Andante faster than Adagio?
Yes. Andante begins at 77 BPM, above the Adagio range of 65–72.
Why is Andante a good practice tempo?
It is slow enough to hear mistakes but moving enough to build endurance, which makes it the standard reference for most metronome exercises.
All markings
Browse every Italian tempo marking from Larghissimo to Ultra Presto: