diff --git a/plugins/lv2/sfizz.cpp b/plugins/lv2/sfizz.cpp
index e5f35024..d5ec2613 100644
--- a/plugins/lv2/sfizz.cpp
+++ b/plugins/lv2/sfizz.cpp
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ sfizz_lv2_update_timeinfo(sfizz_plugin_t *self, int delay, int updates)
     if (updates & SFIZZ_TIMEINFO_SIGNATURE)
         sfizz_send_time_signature(self->synth, delay, self->beats_per_bar, self->beat_unit);
     if (updates & SFIZZ_TIMEINFO_TEMPO)
-        sfizz_send_tempo(self->synth, delay, 60.0f / self->bpm_tempo);
+        sfizz_send_bpm_tempo(self->synth, delay, self->bpm_tempo);
     if (updates & SFIZZ_TIMEINFO_SPEED)
         sfizz_send_playback_state(self->synth, delay, self->speed > 0);
 }
diff --git a/plugins/vst/SfizzVstProcessor.cpp b/plugins/vst/SfizzVstProcessor.cpp
index d3b7156f..fb02ab5b 100644
--- a/plugins/vst/SfizzVstProcessor.cpp
+++ b/plugins/vst/SfizzVstProcessor.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ tresult PLUGIN_API SfizzVstProcessor::initialize(FUnknown* context)
     _currentStretchedTuning = 0.0;
     loadSfzFileOrDefault({}, false);
 
-    _synth->tempo(0, 0.5);
+    _synth->bpmTempo(0, 120);
     _timeSigNumerator = 4;
     _timeSigDenominator = 4;
     _synth->timeSignature(0, _timeSigNumerator, _timeSigDenominator);
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ void SfizzVstProcessor::updateTimeInfo(const Vst::ProcessContext& context)
     sfz::Sfizz& synth = *_synth;
 
     if (context.state & context.kTempoValid)
-        synth.tempo(0, float(60.0 / context.tempo));
+        synth.bpmTempo(0, context.tempo);
 
     if (context.state & context.kTimeSigValid) {
         _timeSigNumerator = context.timeSigNumerator;
diff --git a/src/sfizz.h b/src/sfizz.h
index 50202255..6ea2b39d 100644
--- a/src/sfizz.h
+++ b/src/sfizz.h
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@
   #define SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API
 #endif
 
+#if defined _WIN32
+  #define SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API __declspec(deprecated)
+#else
+  #define SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API __attribute__ ((deprecated))
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -584,7 +590,25 @@ SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API void sfizz_send_hd_poly_aftertouch(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int
  * @par Thread-safety constraints
  * - @b RT: the function must be invoked from the Real-time thread
  */
-SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API void sfizz_send_tempo(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, float seconds_per_beat);
+SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API void sfizz_send_tempo(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, float seconds_per_beat);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Send a tempo event.
+ *
+ * This command should be delay-ordered with all other time/signature commands, namely
+ * tempo(), timeSignature(), timePosition(), and playbackState(), otherwise the behavior
+ * of the synth is undefined.
+ *
+ * @since 0.6.0
+ *
+ * @param synth             The synth.
+ * @param delay             The delay.
+ * @param beats_per_minute  The new tempo, in beats per minute.
+ *
+ * @par Thread-safety constraints
+ * - @b RT: the function must be invoked from the Real-time thread
+ */
+SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API void sfizz_send_bpm_tempo(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, float beats_per_minute);
 
 /**
  * @brief Send the time signature.
diff --git a/src/sfizz.hpp b/src/sfizz.hpp
index b96c9555..8891dd40 100644
--- a/src/sfizz.hpp
+++ b/src/sfizz.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@
   #define SFIZZ_EXPORTED_API
 #endif
 
+#if defined _WIN32
+  #define SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API __declspec(deprecated)
+#else
+  #define SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API __attribute__ ((deprecated))
+#endif
+
 struct sfizz_synth_t;
 
 namespace sfz
@@ -623,7 +629,25 @@ public:
      * @par Thread-safety constraints
      * - @b RT: the function must be invoked from the Real-time thread
      */
-    void tempo(int delay, float secondsPerBeat) noexcept;
+    SFIZZ_DEPRECATED_API void tempo(int delay, float secondsPerBeat) noexcept;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Send a tempo event to the synth.
+     *
+     * This command should be delay-ordered with all other time/signature commands, namely
+     * tempo(), timeSignature(), timePosition(), and playbackState(), otherwise the behavior
+     * of the synth is undefined.
+     *
+     * @since 0.6.0
+     *
+     * @param delay the delay at which the event occurs; this should be lower
+     *              than the size of the block in the next call to renderBlock().
+     * @param beatsPerMinute the new tempo, in beats per minute.
+     *
+     * @par Thread-safety constraints
+     * - @b RT: the function must be invoked from the Real-time thread
+     */
+    void bpmTempo(int delay, float beatsPerMinute) noexcept;
 
     /**
      * @brief Send the time signature.
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index 9bdeb4a8..1ecba09a 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -1397,6 +1397,12 @@ void Synth::tempo(int delay, float secondsPerBeat) noexcept
     impl.resources_.beatClock.setTempo(delay, secondsPerBeat);
 }
 
+void Synth::bpmTempo(int delay, float beatsPerMinute) noexcept
+{
+    // TODO make this the main tempo function and remove the deprecated other one
+    return tempo(delay, 60 / beatsPerMinute);
+}
+
 void Synth::timeSignature(int delay, int beatsPerBar, int beatUnit)
 {
     Impl& impl = *impl_;
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.h b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
index 2c97effe..1dbb9405 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
@@ -464,6 +464,15 @@ public:
      * @param secondsPerQuarter the new period of the quarter note
      */
     void tempo(int delay, float secondsPerQuarter) noexcept;
+    /**
+     * @brief Send a tempo event to the synth
+     *
+     * @param delay the delay at which the event occurs; this should be lower than the size of
+     *              the block in the next call to renderBlock(), and ordered with respect to
+     *              calls to tempo(), timeSignature(), timePosition(), and playbackState().
+     * @param beatsPerMinute the new tempo, in beats per minute
+     */
+    void bpmTempo(int delay, float beatsPerMinute) noexcept;
     /**
      * @brief Send a polyphonic aftertouch event to the synth
      *
diff --git a/src/sfizz/sfizz.cpp b/src/sfizz/sfizz.cpp
index 29f9303a..e67c3adc 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/sfizz.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/sfizz.cpp
@@ -230,6 +230,11 @@ void sfz::Sfizz::tempo(int delay, float secondsPerBeat) noexcept
     synth->synth.tempo(delay, secondsPerBeat);
 }
 
+void sfz::Sfizz::bpmTempo(int delay, float beatsPerMinute) noexcept
+{
+    synth->synth.bpmTempo(delay, beatsPerMinute);
+}
+
 void sfz::Sfizz::timeSignature(int delay, int beatsPerBar, int beatUnit)
 {
     synth->synth.timeSignature(delay, beatsPerBar, beatUnit);
diff --git a/src/sfizz/sfizz_wrapper.cpp b/src/sfizz/sfizz_wrapper.cpp
index 76400227..9f584435 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/sfizz_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/sfizz_wrapper.cpp
@@ -170,6 +170,10 @@ void sfizz_send_tempo(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, float seconds_per_quarter
 {
     synth->synth.tempo(delay, seconds_per_quarter);
 }
+void sfizz_send_bpm_tempo(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, float beats_per_minute)
+{
+    synth->synth.bpmTempo(delay, beats_per_minute);
+}
 void sfizz_send_time_signature(sfizz_synth_t* synth, int delay, int beats_per_bar, int beat_unit)
 {
     synth->synth.timeSignature(delay, beats_per_bar, beat_unit);