- Tempo markings are merely a guide, not absolute. It is important to look beyond the numbers on the score and explore the tempo that brings a piece to life
- Even the same "Presto" can mean different things depending on the piece. You need to consider a tempo setting suited to the piece — a tempo that makes the piece come alive
- It is natural for tempo to change with key modulations. By adjusting tempo in response to tonal changes, such as when modulating from a major key to a minor key, you can harness the musical flow
- Musical tempo can be compared to a heartbeat. The human heart does not always beat at the same rate — it changes with emotional intensity. Music works the same way, with tempo suited to each moment
- Use a metronome during practice, but aim for flexible tempo expression in performance. It is important not to be bound by numbers, to value your intuition, and to discover your own musical expression
What Is Tempo: The Space Between Numbers and Music
In saxophone performance, tempo is not determined solely by the numbers written on the score. Modern scores often include metronome markings, with specific values such as "quarter note = 120." However, you need to consider that whether that tempo is truly accurate is actually quite questionable. Metronomes have a weight, and whether you align to 120 at the top of the weight or the bottom makes a difference in tempo. Whether everyone is truly aligning at the top — there is much room for doubt.
The Concept of Tempo: Numbers or Music?
It is important to treat tempo markings as a guideline. If it says 160, it does not mean it absolutely must be 160 — rather, treat it as an approximate guideline of around 160, and consider whether your own feeling suggests it should be a bit faster. Even when "Presto" is written, if the piece is different, it is a different Presto. The Presto of this piece and the Presto of that piece are different. Therefore, you need to consider a tempo setting suited to the piece — a tempo that makes the piece come alive. It is never the case that because it says 120, it must always be 120, or because it says 160, it must always be 160.
Key modulations absolutely change the tempo as well. This is a very important point — most pieces will inevitably modulate. Through these modulations, the musical world transforms. Each modulation carries its own character — whether it is in a major key or a minor key. Perhaps a minor key passage comes alive more at a faster tempo. So suppose a piece is marked at 120 and is structured as major → minor → major. If you play the entire major → minor → major progression at a steady 120, you are failing to take advantage of the journey from major to minor and back to major.
Causes and Solutions: A Way of Thinking to Find a "Living Tempo" in Saxophone Performance
The same is true of the human heart. It does not beat at the same rate all the time. When excitement rises, it may speed up a little; when you calm down, your heart rate drops. I believe that musical tempo is essentially akin to the human heartbeat, and that heartbeat is what resonates most naturally with human instinct. Values like 60 beats per minute on a metronome are just guidelines, so please understand that absolute tempo is ultimately a matter of human sensation.
For example, in concert band, marches are commonly performed, and you might practice with a metronome throughout. However, you do not have to follow it rigidly the entire time. The metronome is merely a practice aid — an auxiliary device. And in performance, you do not use one. When you reach the Trio and it modulates, it is musically natural for the Trio's tempo to change slightly. Playing the Trio at exactly the same tempo is questionable. Please keep in mind that music has a tempo suited to each moment and a tempo driven by emotional intensity, and sensing this for yourself and expressing it — this is where the greatest joy lies. So please try to discover a sense of tempo that goes beyond numbers, one that cannot be captured by numbers alone.
Practice: Steps for Exploring the Tempo That Brings a Piece to Life
To find the tempo that brings a piece to life, it is important to use the numbers on the score as a starting point and compare them with your own intuition and the characteristics of the piece. Through the following steps, you can discover a "living tempo" free from the constraints of numbers.
- ① Check the tempo marking on the score: First, check the tempo marking written on the score (e.g., quarter note = 120). However, treat this as merely a guideline.
- ② Understand the overall structure of the piece: Identify what key modulations the piece undergoes, whether it shifts from major to minor, and what character changes occur.
- ③ Experiment with tempo in each section: In major sections, minor sections, and other parts, explore "the tempo at which this music comes most alive." Even the same "Allegro" may differ between a major-key Allegro and a minor-key Allegro.
- ④ Adjust tempo according to key modulations: Be mindful that key modulations transform the musical world, and flexibly adjust tempo in response. Value the instinct that a minor passage might come alive at a faster tempo.
- ⑤ Use the heartbeat analogy to develop your sense: Be aware that musical tempo can be compared to a heartbeat — when excitement rises, it speeds up a little; when you calm down, the heart rate drops. Reflect these natural changes in your music.
- ⑥ Use the metronome in practice, but be flexible in performance: In practice, follow the metronome to develop accurate tempo control. In performance, express tempo suited to each moment and driven by emotional intensity.
- ⑦ Discover a sense of tempo beyond the numbers: Do not be bound by numbers alone — find a sense of tempo that cannot be captured by numbers. Discovering your own musical expression is the greatest joy of music.
Summary
In saxophone performance, tempo is not determined solely by the numbers written on the score. Metronome values are merely a guide, and even the same "Presto" can mean different things depending on the piece. It is natural for tempo to change with key modulations, and musical tempo is rooted in human sensation, much like a heartbeat. In practice, you develop accurate tempo control by following the metronome, but in performance, it is important to express tempo suited to each moment and driven by emotional intensity.
Without being bound by numbers, finding the tempo that brings a piece to life is the key to enriching your musical expression. By flexibly adjusting tempo in response to key modulations — such as when shifting from a major key to a minor key — and varying tempo according to tonal changes, you can harness the natural flow of the music. Keep in mind that music has a tempo suited to each moment and a tempo driven by emotional intensity, and sense it for yourself and express it. This is where the greatest joy of music lies. Without being bound by numbers alone, by discovering a sense of tempo that cannot be captured by numbers, your saxophone performance will surely become richer and more expressive.
