Tempo marks

[scotish]

Can someone tell me what the interpretation is between the speed of which to play a tempo mark and a song that is played in either eighth notes or sixteenth notes. Example, if a song says to play it moderato, but is played in these faster paced notes, what speed should it be played at overall?

[pianowolfi]

In all probability you'd have to look at the time signature, for instance if it's cut time (2/2) or common time (4/4). There is no absolute tempo for any kind of note values, it depends on the character of the piece.

[mcdiddy1]

Can someone tell me what the interpretation is between the speed of which to play a tempo mark and a song that is played in either eighth notes or sixteenth notes. Example, if a song says to play it moderato, but is played in these faster paced notes, what speed should it be played at overall?

Can someone tell me what the interpretation is between the speed of which to play a tempo mark and a song that is played in either eighth notes or sixteenth notes. Example, if a song says to play it moderato, but is played in these faster paced notes, what speed should it be played at overall?

Actually time signature has no bearing on the tempo of a piece of music, only how the music is notated. Also are you sure you are talking about a song? A song has words while piano music does not so I am assuming you are talking about piano music. Rhythm is not really an interpretation, if all things are equal where the time signature says 4/4 the sixteenth note is twice as fast as the the eight note. If the tempo speeds up, the rhythms speed up proportionally . If a song/piece says moderato, it is a very subjective tempo but it is usually is the MM=80 to 110 range where the quarter note gets the beat. The faster paced notes, assuming you mean sixteenth notes, would be whatever speed you can successfully fit four notes in one beat.

That being said, I think finding the right tempo does take a certain amount of good taste in consideration of style, character, and using the general tempo guidelines. Like pianowolf said there is no absolute speed for all the note value. The rhythm are influenced by the overall tempo of the piece.