Three techniques for rhythmic reading

What you need to know Steady beat Tempo Rhythm (notes and rests) Time signature Subdivision

Steady Beat and Tempo The steady beat is the pulse that is heard or felt when listening or performing music. It can be compared to tapping one’s foot or clapping with “the beat.” The steady beat determines duration of rhythms as it relates to tempo, time signatures and rhythmic notation. Tempo determines the speed of the steady beat. This is measured in beats per minute.

Rhythm Tree Duple This is true for all tempos and time signatures. Knowing what the breakdown is for all rhythms will help with the more difficult passages. Rhythm breakdown will also help with subdividing less common time signatures and rhythms.

Rhythm Tree Triple

Rhythm Rests Tree The same is true for rests. They are the silent equivalent to notes.

Simple Time Signatures Common beat Duple Triple Quadruple Quarter note 2 4 3 Half note (alle breve, cut time) Eighth note (slow tempos) 8

Complex Time Signatures Compound Time Signatures Common beat single Duple Triple Quadruple Dotted quarter note 3 8 6 9 12 Complex Time Signatures Common beat Changes within measure 5 8 7 9 11 Quarter note 4

Subdivision Subdivision is the breaking down of the notes or beats into smaller units. This aids in the breakdown of more difficult rhythms. The subdivision of a measure should be broken down into the smallest unit present in the measure. If the smallest unit is eighth notes the measure should be subdivided using eighth notes. If the smallest unit is sixteenth notes the measure should be subdivided using sixteenth notes.