Understanding tempo: the difference between Ritarando and Ritenuto | learn to play piano #piano 

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]used to for fun, this is how nerdy I am.

[00:00:03]Fun, I used to write you know, traditional music notation out and try to make it look exactly like printed music. And >> [clears throat] >> that even went for the Italian tempo markings and all that.

[00:00:19]There's a difference between ritenuto and ritardando. When you see RIT, that means a gradual slowing down. When you see ritenuto, it will say riten. RIT N period for the abbreviation. That means an immediate slow down change of tempo. It's not gradual, it's an immediate. So, when you see ritenuto, remember that. When it's a ritardando, it's a gradual. So, you don't immediately start slowing down, you gradually slow down.