Increase after repeatability
One clean pass is useful evidence, but several similar passes are what justify a change.
Tempo guide
When to increase Hanon tempo.
Tempo should move only after the current speed is established. In serious technique practice, a faster marking is not a reward. It is a new assignment that should arrive after accuracy, stability, and consistency have already held together.
Increase in small steps
A modest bump keeps the hand organized and makes regression obvious instead of confusing.
Increase with a reason
The next tempo should answer a clear question about control, not satisfy impatience.
Signals that the current tempo is established
- Repeated runs stay accurate without rescue corrections.
- Timing remains steady from the first bar to the last.
- The hand shape and motion feel organized rather than forced.
- You can describe what is stable, not only that it feels easier.
Signals to stay where you are
- Later repetitions get less even than earlier ones.
- Errors cluster around the same finger transition each time.
- The pulse compresses or rushes under pressure.
- You can reach the tempo once, but not reproduce it calmly.
A measured progression loop
Hold one conservative base tempo
Choose a speed that reveals unevenness without creating tension or emergency adjustments.
Collect several comparable repetitions
Keep tempo, fingering, and assignment fixed long enough to tell whether the result is consistent.
Raise the tempo slightly and recheck stability
Use a small increase, then look for the same control before deciding that the faster speed is established.