Rhythm/Tempo
Understanding Rhythm/Tempo
- Rhythm refers to the pattern of sounds and silences in music over time. It works in conjunction with tempo to create the overall pacing and mood of the piece.
- The rhythmic beat of a piece is its basic time unit, and beats generally repeat regularly.
- Tempo is the speed of the beat or the pace of the music, generally denoted by terms such as ‘adagio’ (slow), ‘moderato’ (moderate) or ‘allegro’ (fast).
Comprehending Time Signatures
- A time signature tells how the rhythm of a piece is organised, typically as a ratio (like 4/4 or 3/4) indicating the number of beats per measure and the type of note that gets the beat.
- Common time is represented as 4/4, meaning there are four beats in a measure, and the quarter note gets the beat.
- Compound time signatures, like 6/8, have beats that can be divided into three equal parts.
Grasping Rhythmic Notation
- Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes each represent different durations of sound or silence.
- A rest marks a duration of silence, and each type of note (whole, half, quarter etc.) has a corresponding rest symbol.
- Triplets are three notes played in the time typically taken by two, used as a rhythmic variation.
Understanding Rhythmic Techniques
- Syncopation causes an interruption of the regular flow of rhythm creating a surprise or ‘offbeat’ accent, often used in jazz and pop music.
- Swing rhythm is a form of syncopation where the first note of a beat pair is longer and the second is shorter.
- Polyrhythms are the simultaneous use of contrasting rhythmic patterns within the same piece of music.