What Is BPM? Fingerstyle Guitar Song Tempos

What does BPM mean in music?

BPM means beats per minute: the number of musical beats in one minute. At 60 BPM, beats are one second apart; at 120 BPM, they are half a second apart. A higher number means a faster beat. Yamaha's Playing With Tempo introduces tempo and its role in guitar playing.

BPM does not count every note you play. If a quarter-note beat is set to 80 BPM, four sixteenth notes can fit inside each beat without changing the tempo. Nor does BPM tell you how many beats belong in a measure: that is the job of the time signature. Check the note symbol beside the tempo marking on your score before setting the click.

Before choosing a song tempo

The tables below collect 24 source-listed reference tempos, checked on October 18, 2026. They are a repertoire reference, not a popularity ranking. These are not our own audio measurements: recording databases generally provide estimated tempos, while a transcription marking describes that particular score. Neither is automatically the composer's official instruction.

The version column matters. A live performance, a re-recording and a simplified arrangement may use different speeds. Durations identify database entries, not a promise that every recording of that length is identical. Approximate values are starting points for listening; expressive passages may not follow a fixed click.

Click a BPM to open that speed in the metronome. These links set the number only, not the piece's time signature, beat unit or subdivisions. Select those to match your score.

Japanese fingerstyle and Sunflower

Kotaro Oshio, Masaaki Kishibe and Paddy Sun offer very different rhythmic challenges. Use the relevant recording or transcription below rather than applying one number to every performance of the title.

The last two entries are transcription markings, not verified original-recording tempos. In particular, use the Sunflower value with that arrangement's quarter-note count; it does not establish one mandatory speed for all covers.

Tommy Emmanuel repertoire

These entries refer to specific releases or performances. Classical Gas below is the orchestral performance, not a universal tempo for Emmanuel's solo versions.

Andy McKee repertoire

All five entries refer to Art of Motion as indexed by the linked databases. Their estimates are references for those tracks, not fixed score markings; check your count against the recording before practising.

Fingerpicked songs worth practising

These are song recordings, rather than instrumental solo arrangements. Their fingerpicked parts can be useful repertoire, but a solo guitar cover need not keep the source recording's tempo.

More classics: choose an arrangement first

A familiar title is not enough to identify a practice tempo. The following pieces belong on a fingerstyle repertoire list, but this guide does not yet assign them a sourced, version-specific BPM. Use the marking on your own score or tap along with your chosen recording instead of treating a guessed number as fact.

Turn a reference BPM into a practice plan

1. Choose a short passage and a tempo at which both bass and melody stay clean. The table is a reference speed, not a beginner's minimum.
2. If the passage breaks down at 120 BPM, try a slower setting such as 60 BPM. This is a practice example, not a prescription to halve every song's tempo.
3. Keep the same beat unit as you increase the setting. After several accurate repetitions, try a small increase, such as 2-5 BPM. Step back if timing or movement becomes uneven.
4. Return to the recording and listen to phrasing, accents and space. A steady exercise does not mean the final performance must ignore expressive timing.

For this website's Professional mode, the click follows the written time-signature unit. In 6/8 it represents an eighth note: a score marking dotted quarter = 60 therefore needs 180 clicks per minute and 3 + 3 grouping. See the metronome practice guide before copying a score's number into a different beat unit.

Common questions about guitar BPM

What BPM should I use for Twilight?

The linked 3:51 Kotaro Oshio recording entry lists 108 BPM. Treat that as an estimate for that entry, not the only correct tempo for Twilight. If you are following another recording or a score, use that version's pulse and marking.

Is Sunflower 120 BPM?

The Tùng A.G. transcription linked above marks quarter note = 120. That supports a setting for that score, not a claim that every Paddy Sun recording or cover stays at exactly 120 BPM.

Why do BPM websites disagree?

They may index different versions, analyse a different section or identify a faster or slower pulse. Half-time and double-time readings are one possibility, not an explanation for every disagreement. Count through a steady passage and compare the click with the beat unit in your score.

What is a good BPM for a beginner?

There is no single beginner BPM. A slow melody and a dense fingerstyle pattern make different demands at the same setting. Start where you can keep the rhythm, avoid unnecessary tension and repeat the passage accurately.

Ready to practise? Open the metronome, find a recording's pulse with Tap Tempo, or check your guitar tuning before you begin.