Chapter 2: Rhythm and Pitch
Key Terms rhythm beat accent sforzando meter measure bar barlines simple meter duple meter triple meter compound meter quintuple meter nonmetrical syncopation
Key Terms tempo metronome marks tempo indications adagio andante moderato allegretto allegro presto accelerando ritardando fermata
Rhythm The relationship between sounds in time The experience of time in music We experience time in thousands of ways Different cultures express musical time in different ways “A rhythm” is a particular arrangement of longer and shorter notes in a musical passage
Rhythm Time concepts in Western music Beat Accent Meter Regular, recurring background pulse Accent Extra emphasis placed on some beats Music can have regular, irregular, or no accents Meter Regular, recurring pattern of accented and unaccented (strong and weak) beats
Meter Simple meters Compound meter Irregular meters Duple meter Triple meter Compound meter Quick triple subdivision of the beat Irregular meters Quintuple meter, etc.
Simple Meters Duple meter Triple meter ONE two | ONE two | ONE two | ONE two three | ONE two three |
Compound Meter Can use two or more beats per measure Quick, triple subdivision of each beat ONE-and-a two-and-a | ONE-and-a two-and-a | Example: Row, row, row your boat
Syncopation Syncopated rhythms displace accents away from normal metric accents Can put accents on weak beats one TWO | one TWO | one TWO | Can put accents in between beats one AND two AND | one AND two AND | Syncopation plays with meter Most effective when meter is clearly heard Examples: Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer or Give my regards to Broadway
Tempo Rate of speed at which beats follow one another (How fast?) Metronome marks tell us exactly how many beats per minute 60 = one beat per second; 120 = two beats per second; and so on Tempo indications are approximate Often in Italian Can also express a specific mood
Common Tempo Indications Adagio Andante Moderato Allegretto Allegro Presto Slow On the slow side, but not too slow Moderate tempo On the fast side, but not too fast Fast Very fast
Tempo Changes Accelerando; Ritardando Più lento; più allegro Fermata Gradually getting faster; gradually getting slower Più lento; più allegro Slower; faster Fermata Hold a note (or rest) for an indefinite time Temporary suspension of tempo a tempo Back to the main tempo