If I am playing 1/4 notes each beat at 60 bpm then switch the symbol to1/8 note, triplet then 16th note symbols am I really playing at 120-180-240 bpm for each note
The
beats per minute (tempo) stay the same at 60 BPM, but the number of
notes per beat increases from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4. Therefore the
number of notes you play per minute (speed) increases form 60 quarter notes, 120 eighth notes, 180 triplets and 240 16th
notes per minute.
BPM stays the same.
Notes per beat and per minute increases. Therefore, each exercise will have fewer measures and take less time as you decrease the note values.
Another way to look at it at 60 BPM:
60 quarter notes would take one minute
60 eighth notes would take 30 seconds
60 triplets would take 20 seconds
60 16th notes would take 15 seconds
Speed increases, but
tempo stays the same.
Side Note: Griff's melodic patterns in sequences of 3 have exactly 60 notes.