tempoer

Tempoer is a term used in some discussions of tempo management in music. It is not widely recognized in formal music theory or lexicography, and its meaning can vary by context. Broadly, tempoer denotes an agent—either a person or a mechanism—that maintains, adjusts, or negotiates tempo during a performance or project.

Etymology: the word appears to be formed from tempo, the Italian term for time, with the English agent noun suffix -er. The construction mirrors other agent nouns such as conductor or timer, though tempoer is not standard in mainstream usage.

Usage and senses:

- In live performance practice, a tempoer may refer to a conductor, a section leader, or a dedicated cue-giver whose responsibility is to keep or modify tempo, especially during transitions, rubato passages, or cross-tempo sections. The term emphasizes tempo control as an active role rather than a fixed device.

- In music technology and production, tempoer can describe an algorithm, plugin, or digital workflow component designed to control tempo mapping, tempo changes, or synchronization across tracks. In this sense, it is akin to a metronome, tempo map, or automatic tempo adjuster, but with a focus on coordinated tempo decisions rather than a simple beat to follow.

Usage is limited and largely experimental. The term may appear in forums, experimental ensembles, or small-scale productions but remains uncommon in formal writings.

See also: tempo, metronome, tempo map, conductor, beat.