Editing Metronome (section)

===Tempo indication===
In written musical scores since the early 1800s, composers and conductors (or editors) often indicate their preferred tempos using BPM metronome speeds, with or without descriptive tempo markings, to help musicians prepare for a performance. Even works that do not require a strictly constant tempo, such as musical passages with [[rubato]], sometimes provide BPM markings to indicate the general tempo. Another mark that denotes tempo is M.M. (or MM), for Maelzel's Metronome. The notation M.M. is usually followed by a note value and a number that indicates the tempo, as in {{nowrap|M.M. {{music|quarter}} {{=}} 60}}.

[[Ludwig van Beethoven]], a personal acquaintance of Maelzel, became the first notable composer to indicate specific metronome markings in his music. This was done in December 1815, with the corrected copy of the score of the [[Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt (Beethoven)|Cantata op. 112]] containing Beethoven's first metronome mark.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Noorduin |first=Marten |date=July 2016 |title=Beethoven's Tempo Indications |url=https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/54586757/FULL_TEXT.PDF |degree=PhD |publisher=University of Manchester |page=65}}</ref>