1. AP Music Theory
Elements: Rhythm

2. 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

3. Symbols

4. Rhythm Tree

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

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

7. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. Meters Chart

16. 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

17. Syncopation
Rhythm figures that stress normally weak beats or divisions

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

19. 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

20. 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