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Rhythm - The combinations of long and short, even and uneven sounds that convey a sense of movement. The movement of sound through time. Concepts contributing to an understanding of rhythm are:
- regular vs. irregular
- strong vs. weak
- long vs. short
- equal vs. unequal
Beat - The underlying, evenly spaced pulse providing a framework for rhythm.
Meter - The pattern in which a steady succession of rhythmic pulses is organized.
Bounce Metronome (Click to play videos of simple or compound rhythms and polyrhythms).
Create a steady beat by tapping your foot or clapping your hands. A metronome is a visual and auditory way to discuss the steady beat. The higher the number you set on a metronome, the more beats per minute and the faster the arm moves. I often march to a regular beat, then start to slow, speed up, slow again to demonstrate irregular beat. Use words and phrases as examples. For example - murmur has two equal syllables, but kachoo is irregular because of the accent on the second syllable. The rhythm of word syllables and accents can help students hear rhythm patterns.
Duple meter (ap-ple)
Triple Meter (straw-ber-ry
Meter (blue-ber-ry)
Duple vs. Triple Meter - Some beats can be divided by two (duple meter) and others can be divided by three (triple meter). A waltz is in triple meter and a march is in duple. Using words, the number of syllables may be the same, but the meter is dependant on equal emphasis on each syllable. Example - "merrily" is triple meter because the word can be divided into equal parts and the accent is on the first syllable. However, "intellect" is unequal and duple because the first two symbols are duple and the final syllable requires a full beat.
Time Signature
The Time Signature appears after the clef sign on the staff. The top number indicates the number of beats in a measure and the bottom number indicates the kind of note that gets one beat.
Bar Lines and Measures
Staff is divided into equal parts called measures. Bar lines are vertical dividers. Spaces in between the bar lines are called measures.
Rhythmic Note Values
Whole Note
Whole Rest
Half Note
Half Rest
Quarter Note
Quarter Rest
Eighth Note
Eighth Rests
16th Note
Dotted Notes
Dotted half note. The dot equals half the value of the note itself. In 4/4 time, the half note is worth 2 beats and the dot is worth half of 2 (1). The dotted half note would get 3 beats in 4/4 or 3/4 time.
2 + 1 = 3
1 + 1/2 = 1 and 1/2.
Dotted quarter note. The dot equals half the value of the note itself. In 4/4 time, the quarter note is worth 1 beat and the dot is worth half of 1 (1/2). The dotted quarter note would get 1 and 1/2 beats in 4/4 or 3/4 time. The dotted quarter would typically be followed by an 8th note.
Websites for Rhythm and Music Theory
- Lesson Tutor
- Note Values - http://www.lessontutor.com/eesmusic4.html
Rhythm Glossary
Accelerando - Becoming faster.
Accent - Emphasis of a note, which may result from it's being louder (dynamic accent) longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it.
Adagio - Slow.
Allegretto - Moderately fast.
Allegro - Fast.
Andante - Moderate slow, a walking pace.
Beat - Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Downbeat - First, or stressed, beat of a measure.
Duple meter - Pattern of 2 beats to the measure.
Grave - Very slow, solemn.
Largo - Very slow, broad.
Measure - Rhythmic group set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.
Meter - Organization of beats into regular groups.
Metronome - Apparatus which produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired constant speed.
Moderato - Moderate tempo.
Prestissimo - As fast a tempo as possible.
Presto - Very fast tempo.
Quadruple meter - Pattern of 4 beats to the measure.
Quintuple meter - Pattern of 5 beats to the measure.
Rhythm - Ordered low of music through time; the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
Ritardando - Becoming slower.
Septuple meter - Pattern of 7 beats to the measure.
Sextuple meter - Pattern of 6 beats to the measure.
Syncopation - Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as between two beats or on a weak beat. Syncopation is a major characteristic of jazz.
Tempo - Basic pace of the music.
Tempo indication - Words, usually at the beginning of a piece of music, often in Italian, which specify the pace at which the music should be played.
Triple meter - Pattern of 3 beats to the measure.
Upbeat - Unaccented pulse preceding the downbeat.
Vivace - Lively tempo.
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