Question about notating metronome speed

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Hector Pascal
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Post by Hector Pascal » Tue Apr 28, 2020 1:52 am

Hi all,
Hope you are all going ok.

I am writing a piece and the time signature is 6/4 (with some bars of 5/4 here and there).

I feel that the piece sounds good at crotchet = 180.

I am wondering if it is ok to express this tempo with such a high number? It seems rather a big number! But it is a good tempo to my ear. I think the conductor would choose to conduct it as 2 beats in the 6/4 bar, or 6 if they're feeling energetic.

Have you seen crotchet = 180 before?,
Hector.


ttw
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Post by ttw » Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:54 am

Quarter note (crochet) at 180 should be no problem notation wise. Waltzes, especially Viennese Waltzes, tend to be danced from 162 to 180 or so.

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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:04 am

If the conductor will beat in two, maybe dotted minim = 60.

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David Ward
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Post by David Ward » Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:00 am

I agree with Motet.

When you go into 5/4 for the first time you might add (crotchet = crotchet) for clarity.

As for the general question of 180, both the very different mechanical metronomes I have here (one nearly 10 ins tall with the traditional wooden pyramid case, the other a Wittner Super Mini, which is as small as the name suggests) go right up to mm = 208. I think 180 can be found in the Rite of Spring, for example.
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Hector Pascal
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Post by Hector Pascal » Wed Apr 29, 2020 5:14 am

Thank you very much, everyone! Your help is much appreciated!
Cheers,
Hector.

RMK
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Post by RMK » Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:10 pm

There is a movement in the Hindemith sonata for Solo Viola Op.25 No.1 where he writes quarter note = 600.

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