In the previous article of the series How to project emotions through music, we talked about choosing your key. Moving on, today I'd like to discuss tempo.
Alongside the key, setting the tempo is one of the first details to consider when writing or interpreting a song.
How tempo influences our emotions
A fast tempo might be appropriate for a lively dance tune, whereas a slower tempo may better suit a love ballad. One classic example: Nina Simone and Django Reinhardt both recorded After You've Gone, evoking completely different emotions — Nina's is slow and melancholic (~♩=60), Django's is upbeat and lively (~♩=132).
How to identify the tempo of a song
Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
Emotional components of tempo
The normal human heartbeat ranges between 60 and 100 BPM. A tempo of BPM=90 can induce relaxation, while BPM=120 is unlikely to.
Changing the tempo is a great way to bring emotional nuances into a song.