Which of the following statements about Tempo events and Bar|Beat Markers differ in their effect on tempo?

• A. Bar|Beat Markers are used to set tempo changes at points.
• B. Tempo events set the global tempo across the track.
• C. Bar|Beat Markers determine the tempo by mapping to marks on bars.
• D. Tempo events change tempo at a point; Bar|Beat Markers align tempo with the song.

Answer: (D)

Tempo changes are sparked by tempo events. Placing a tempo event sets a specific BPM at that exact point in the timeline, and the tempo remains at that new value from there until another tempo event changes it. Bar|Beat Markers, on the other hand, are musical position markers. They define where bars and beats fall in the session and help align the grid with the music, but they don’t by themselves change the playback tempo. In other words, tempo events alter the tempo at a point, while Bar|Beat Markers provide alignment to the song without changing the tempo.