Hi, I've got a piece of music for grade 7 which is in 6/8 but the metronome markings say crotchet = 140. Now, for 6/8 I'd expect the metronome markings to say dotted crotchet = 140. So does this mean there are 140 dotted crotchets per minute, 140 quavers per minute or actually 140 crotchets per minute (turning the 6/8 into 3/4) ??????

HEEEEEELP!!!!!!

Sounds like a misprint, most likely 140 dotted crotchets per minute. Which piece is it? Perhaps someone else has a copy of different edition and can help

Sounds like a misprint to me.
Sorry, not very helpful.

Are there any other markings? Allegro, anything like that. Which suits the piece better?

The piece is Salon de Destrabe from Sax Scorchers. I had a scan through the book and there are other 6/8 pieces which also have metronome markings as crotchet =. 140 dotted crotchets per min seems incredibly fast to me!

It could be that the metronome marking has been put on by a computer that doesn't know the subtleties of compound time and that a dotted crotchet or quaver marking would be more appropriate. It converts mathematically to dotted crotchet = 93 (approx) - does that feel a better speed?

EDIT: Just had a better thought - Sax Scorchers is from Saxtet Publications. I've just had a look at their website (saxtetpublications.com) and Salon de Destrabe is one of the pieces where they have a Sibelius sample that you can play and listen to using Scorch. It does have a metronome marking of crotchet = 140, and having played it I'd say it is actually crotchet = 140, i.e. quaver = 280, dotted crotchet = 93.3.

Many thanks, much appreciated.