Mezzo Forte

Find the dynamic under or near the staff at the point where the new level begins. Play the following notes at that level until another instruction changes it. The symbol does not alter which pitch you play, how long each written note lasts, or the basic tempo.

mf sits between mp and f, but the marks are not evenly spaced decibel steps. A piano mf and a trumpet mf have different physical levels.

mf is often a useful baseline from which an accent, crescendo or later f can stand out. If the baseline is already at your maximum, those later contrasts disappear. The order of the familiar marks is pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, from softer toward louder. Their spacing is a musical judgment, not a numeric scale. Repeat the same short phrase at mf and f; a comparison is more informative than asking whether one version is “loud enough” in isolation.

Do not change the beat when you change the volume. Count four equal beats while playing the phrase twice. Also avoid changing articulation accidentally: a softer note can still be detached or accented. Dynamics, Articulation and Terms shows how those instructions work together.

Mark four notes with mf and four with f. Play the eight notes without stopping at the change. Ask a listener to point to the first note where the level shifted. If they cannot hear a difference, adjust the contrast while keeping the same tempo and pitches.