What is accel. (Accelerando)? Explanation of How to Read and Play It on Piano!

Have you ever seen the notation “accel.” or “accelerando” in piano sheet music?

This marking indicates that you should gradually increase the tempo while playing. It is used to build momentum or add tension in a musical passage.

In this article, we’ll explain the meaning of accelerando and how it is used in sheet music.

What is accel. (Accelerando)?

“accel.” is the abbreviation of the Italian term “accelerando,” which means “to gradually speed up the tempo.”

This marking is used to make a piece sound more dramatic or to create a musical climax.

Notation Variations

In sheet music, it may appear in the following forms:

• accel. (the most common abbreviation)
• accelerando (the full term)
• acc. (a shorter form, rarely used)

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Differences Between accel. and Other Tempo Markings

Here are some tempo markings similar in meaning to accelerando:

• rit. (ritardando): An instruction to gradually slow down the tempo. It has the opposite meaning of accel.
• rall. (rallentando): Also an instruction to gradually slow down the tempo.

Summary

accel. (accelerando) is an important musical marking that tells you to gradually speed up the tempo during piano performance.

Mastering tempo changes like accelerando adds expressive power to your music!