Which term indicates the tempo is speeding up?

Which term indicates the tempo is speeding up?

• A. Poco a poco
• B. Ritardando
• C. Accelerando
• D. Forte

Answer: (C)

Tempo is how fast or slow music moves. When the music needs to go faster, the mark used is accelerando, an Italian term meaning gradually faster. That's why it’s the best answer: it directly indicates the tempo is speeding up. Poco a poco means little by little and can accompany a tempo change but doesn’t by itself specify speeding up; ritardando means gradually slowing down; forte means loud, not tempo. In practice, accelerando tells you to increase the pace gradually, creating a sense of forward motion.

Tempo is how fast or slow music moves. When the music needs to go faster, the mark used is accelerando, an Italian term meaning gradually faster. That's why it’s the best answer: it directly indicates the tempo is speeding up. Poco a poco means little by little and can accompany a tempo change but doesn’t by itself specify speeding up; ritardando means gradually slowing down; forte means loud, not tempo. In practice, accelerando tells you to increase the pace gradually, creating a sense of forward motion.