AP Music Theory Elements: Rhythm

Rhythm General term used to refer to the aspect of music Durational Symbols: Breve – Double Whole Note/rest – 8 cts Whole note/rest – 4 cts Quarter note/rest – 1 ct Eighth note/rest – ½ ct Sixteenth note/rest – ¼ ct

Symbols

Rhythm Tree

Ties A tie connects two notesof the same pitch creating a new duration equal to the sum of both notes

Dots A dot adds ½ the value of the note to the note itself.

Beat and Tempo Beat – Basic Pulse of a musical passage Tempo – the rate at which the beats occur Italian Terms – gives relative description of the tempo M.M. – Maelzel’s Metronome – precise beats in one minute

Meter The Pattern of Beats Measure – groups of beats indicated by the bar line Number of beats in a measure is indicated by these terms Duple – 2 Triple – 3 Quadruple – 4 Metric Accents – pattern of stresses found in a meter

Division of the Beat Simple – beats divided into 2 equal parts Compound – beats divided into 3 equal parts

Simple Time Signatures Time signatures – tells the performer two things How many beats are in a measure What note value represents the beat 2 = half note 4 = quarter note 8 = eighth note 16 = sixteenth note

Compound Meter Division of the beat Dotted half note = 3 quarter notes Dotted quarter note = 3 eighth notes Dotted eighth note = 3 16th notes Dotted sixteenth note = 3 32nd notes

Compound Meter Signatures Tells the performer the number of divisions Tells the performer what the division duration is

Summary of Meters Two types of Beat – Simple and Compound Three Common Meters – duple, triple and quadruple Any number representing a note value can be used for any meter You must look at the music to know exactly what it is

Meters Chart

More on Durational Symbols When rhythms are notated, it is customary to use rests, beams, ties and dots in such a way that the metric accent and the individual beats are emphasized rather than observed

Syncopation Rhythm figures that stress normally weak beats or divisions

Grouplets Division of an undotted value into some number of equal parts other than 2, 4, or 8

Beams Used to connect durations shorter than a quarter note Rule for above or below: Decided based on the note that is the furthest from the middle line

Stems General rules Middle line and above – stem goes down on left side of the note Below the middle line – stem goes up on right side of note head