Giving a Tempo: Part 2
Your adrenaline is lying to you about your own tempo. Here's how to keep control of the one moment in the room that's entirely yours to own.
You should always set the tempo
If it’s your song, it’s your tempo.
Don’t ask, “Do you know this?” Don’t ask, “Do you know the tempo?”
Even if they’ve played it a hundred times, their version might not be your version. Your job is to make sure they’re playing your take.
BPM does not help you here
“♩= 90 ” means nothing in the room.
There’s no time to pull out a metronome and calibrate it.
Skip the numbers. Go straight to something usable. Point. Sing. Tap.
Don’t rush the moment
Nerves will push your tempo faster than you intend.
Adrenaline lies.
Take a breath. Hear the song internally. Then give the tempo you actually mean, not the one your body is rushing toward.
Confirm before you start
You’re allowed to check.
Ask them to play a couple bars. Listen. Decide.
If it’s off, adjust it. Slower. Faster. More grounded.
Don’t move on until it’s right.
Practice the conversation
Actors rehearse the song. They don’t rehearse the setup.
But you only get 20–30 seconds to communicate everything.
That moment needs to be just as automatic as the material itself.
Train your internal tempo
Use a metronome.
Lock in what the song actually feels like. Then practice finding it without the device.
Notice what your adrenaline does. Notice your tendencies.So when you walk in the room, you can compensate in real time.
This is part of the audition
This isn’t separate from your performance. This is the first moment they see how you work.
Clear, grounded, specific communication reads as professionalism.
🥜 In a Nutshell
If it’s your song, it’s your tempo. Own it from the first second.
Ready to dive deeper?
This is such a nuanced topic that I made a part one, a part two, and a part three! And beyond giving a tempo, here’s everything else you need to set your song up with an accompanist.
