Presto Tempo (BPM)
Presto is an Italian tempo marking meaning very fast. In modern metronome terms it is generally taken as about 168–200 BPM — very fast, rushing, the tempo of virtuoso showpieces.
Note lengths at a typical presto tempo (184 BPM)
Using 184 BPM as a representative presto tempo. For any other BPM use the BPM to milliseconds converter.
| Note value | Milliseconds |
|---|---|
| Whole note (1/1) | 1304.35 ms |
| Half note (1/2) | 652.17 ms |
| Quarter note (1/4, one beat) | 326.09 ms |
| Eighth note (1/8) | 163.04 ms |
| Sixteenth note (1/16) | 81.52 ms |
| Thirty-second note (1/32) | 40.76 ms |
| Bar in 4/4 | 1304.35 ms |
How presto compares to nearby tempos
| Term | BPM band | Relationship to Presto |
|---|---|---|
| Vivo / Vivacissimo | 172–176 | slower than Presto |
| Presto | 168–200 | — you are here — |
| Prestissimo | 200–208 | faster than Presto |
Frequently asked questions
- What BPM is Presto?
- Presto is generally taken as about 168–200 BPM — very fast, faster than vivace, slower than prestissimo.
- Is Presto faster or slower than Prestissimo?
- Presto is slower than Prestissimo. Prestissimo sits around 200–208 BPM, while Presto is about 168–200 BPM, so Presto is the calmer of the two.
- What is one beat in milliseconds at Presto?
- At a typical 184 BPM, one beat (a quarter note) is 60000 ÷ 184 ≈ 326.09 ms. At 200 BPM it is about 300.00 ms; at 168 BPM about 357.14 ms.