MUSIC THEORY

Chapter 2: Elements of rhythm

RHYTHM

• What is rhythm?– The overall time

aspect of music– How sounds are

notated so that they will occur at a predictable moment and in a predetermined pattern

Durational Symbols

Fill in the blank

Durational Symbols

• Durations other than the standard models must be demonstrated through the use of ties, dots, and other symbols

• Tie: a curved line that connects two notes or the same pitch

• Dot: always adds half of the value of the note

BEAT and TEMPO

What is the difference?

• Beat : Basic pulse of a musical passage• Tempo : relative speed of the beats

Composers may use two different ways to indicated tempo and mood.

Tempo IndicationsGrave Solemn

Largo Broad

Lento Slow

Adagio Slow

Andante Moderately Slow (walking tempo)

Moderato Moderate

Allegretto Moderately Fast

Allegro Fast

Vivace Lively

Presto Very Fast

Meter

• What is meter?• Meter : the pattern of consistent strong and

weak beatsWhat are the most common groups of beats?

• Measures : the groups of beats• Duple, Triple, Quadruple : refer to the number

of beats per measure*Each meter has its own characteristic pattern of

stressed beats and weak beats

MeterGrouping Meter Type Metric Accent Pattern

Two-beat measure Duple Strong-weak

Three-beat measure Triple Strong-weak-weak

Four-beat measure Quadruple Strong-weak-less strong-weak

Marches are generally in ________. Waltzes/Lullabies are in _________.

Depending on tempo, meter can be ambiguous.

*Self-test 2-1

Division of the Beat

• Beats generally divide into: – two equal parts (simple)– or three equal parts (compound) – Do not confuse beat type or how the beat divides

(simple, compound) with meter type or how the meter divides (duple, triple, etc.)

Beat and Meter TypesBeat Duple Triple Quadruple

Simple Simple Simple Simple

Duple Triple Quadruple

Compound Compound Compound Compound

Duple Triple Quadruple

Identify a time signature AND A SONG that corresponds to the description:

Simple Duple - ____________Simple Triple - ____________Compound Triple - ___________Compound Quadruple - ___________

Beat and Meter Types

Beat Duple Triple Quadruple

Simple Simple Simple Simple

Duple (2/4) Triple (3/4) Quadruple (4/4)

Compound Compound Compound Compound

Duple (6/8) Triple (9/8) Quadruple (12/8)

*Self-test 2-2

Checkpoint

1. How many 16th notes are there in a half note?2. Two dots following a quarter note add what

durations to it?3. What is the term that refers to the number of

beats in a measure?4. What term refers to the way that the beats

divide?

Simple Time Signatures

• Time Signature - is a symbol that tells the performer how many beats will occur in each measure and whether the beat is simple or compound

• Simple time signatures will have 2, 3, 4• Identify the meter/beat of the following tunes:

– Jingle Bells– America The Beautiful– Home on the Range– Auld Lang Syne– Pop Goes the Weasel– Silent Night

*Self test 2-3

Compound Time Signatures

• If the beat divides into three equal parts (compound) the note value representing the beat will be dotted.

*Self test 2-4

More on duration symbols…

• When rhythms are notated, it is customary to use rests, beams, ties and dots in such a way that the metric accent emphasized rather than obscured.

• It is, however, correct to notate rhythms so as to obscure the metric accent when that is the desired result. – Syncopation: rhythmic figures that stress normally

weak beats or divisions*Self test 2-5 after review

Durational symbols continued …

• Grouplet: refers to division of an dotted/undotted value into some number of equal parts other than two, four, eight or three, six, nine, etc.

• Beams: used to connected durations shorter than a quarter note when the durations occur within the same beat

• Self-test 2-5