Adagio

Adagio asks for a slow, unhurried pace. The melody can still have motion inside each long beat. The marking is normally printed above the staff at the start of a piece or a new section. It guides the performer until another tempo instruction changes it.

The 70 BPM example gives you a point to try, not an official definition. Italian tempo words cover a range, and published charts do not agree on exact boundaries. If a score specifies a note value and metronome number, such as quarter note = 70, that gives a measurable pulse.

At 70 BPM, count four calm beats while playing eighth notes on each 'and'. The subdivision moves; the main beat stays unhurried.

Adagio commonly feels slower than Andante, but a piece with busy notes can sound active even at a slow beat. A metronome number in the score settles the rate more precisely than the Italian word alone. For a direct A/B test, use the same four notes at the example pace and at the pace suggested on the Andante page. Listen for the distance between the main beats, not just the number of notes you play.