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from English translation seems similar so I cannot tell the diff. i see this appear in one sheet music for one song. so want to get a better understanding of this. thank you

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  • It could be easier to answer more specifically if you could give the specific example of the song or sheet music. Aug 14, 2020 at 22:52
  • the difference between ritadando, rallentando and ritenuto has been discussed here. already. there is no difference between poco ... music.stackexchange.com/questions/16948/… Aug 15, 2020 at 7:20

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Rall. and rallent. abbreviate rallentando which means "slowing down". Ritard. abbreviates ritardando which means "retarding". So both terms mean "gradually decelerating", perhaps suggesting the way you should do it.

Poco means "a little".

You may find this list useful: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Italian_musical_terms_used_in_English

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    "Oxford Companion to Music" (2002) also lists them as synonyms.
    – Aaron
    Aug 15, 2020 at 0:08
  • @Aaron Thanks for checking. I suspect many composers use them interchangeably, though it's a bit weird when both appear in the same song. Aug 15, 2020 at 3:27
  • @user1079505 Rallentando with an E please! Sep 14, 2020 at 1:43
  • @OldBrixtonian Grazie! Sep 14, 2020 at 1:55
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    @use1079505 Thanks. And rallent with an E, if you'd be so kind! No wait! I can do it. Sep 14, 2020 at 2:39
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They have shades of meaning.

The verb rallentare means to slow down. (Rallentare il passo is 
  to slacken one’s pace.)
The verb ritardare means to delay or to hold up (or defer).
The verb ritenere means to withhold or retain.

I agree with Laurence that riten usually indicates a fairly abrupt slowing-down or holding back. (A ritenuta is a deduction, eg. from your pay.) And rall and rit (ritard) are more gradual. A ritard is often followed by a return to the normal tempo or by a new tempo. Rall is often used at the end of a piece.

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Poco is 'a little'. Rallentando (also abbreviated to rall or rallent) means a gradual slowing down. So does Ritardando (ritard).

There's also Ritenuto, which means a sudden change of tempo. This can be unambiguously unabbreviated to riten.

But beware. You'll see 'rit.' This can be short for either Ritardando or Ritenuto! Sometimes you have to make an educated guess which is intended.

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I can’t base this on any evidence I can point to which I can share. I can only tell you from asking composition professors this a couple times. I think ritardando is just a simple slowing down where as rallentando is a slowing down into the next tempo. Maybe check in a notation software manual. They can be surprisingly helpful in defining the differences in terms.

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