Duration Flashcards
Duration
Refers to the lengths of sounds and silences in music.
Four aspects of duration
Beat, rhythm, tempo and meter.
Beat
The underlying pulse in a piece of music.
Strong beat
Gives music a drive and clear sense of momentum. Songs with a strong beat are easy for audiences to dance to, clap along to or tap their foot to.
Definite beat
Is similar to a strong beat, although more specific. It is a strong beat that can be described according to where the definite beat falls in the measure.
Weak beat
Does not provide the music with as much drive or momentum compared to a definite or strong beat. It can involve a slight emphasis on the first beat of every bar to give the listener a sense of structure.
Indefinite beat
Is always considered a weak beat, although it can be heard in passages where there is free rhythm. Free rhythmic passages are sometimes heard in the introduction to a song.
Downbeat
The first beat of a measure in music.
Upbeat
An unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure.
On-beat
The first and third beats in a bar of four-four time, or the strong beats in a particular time signature.
Off-beat
Beats that are not particularly strong or are weak in a specific time signature.
Backbeat
A syncopated rhythm where accentuation occurs in the off beats or weak beats in a measure.
Cross beat
A form of polyrhythm, where a rhythm is used simultaneously with another rhythm or rhythm,
Hyperbeat
One unit of hypermeter, generally a measure.
Meter
The grouping of beats in a piece of music that we hear as an organized succession of rhythmic pulses
Duple meter
Two beats per measure
Triple meter
Three beats per measure
Quadruple meter
Four beats per measure
Time signatures
References at the beginning of a musical score tells us the number and type of beats per bar. The top number indicates how many beats per measure, while the bottom number indicates the type of beat.
Difference between meter and time signature
Meter refers to the overall pulses per bar.
Time signature is the individual subdivision per bar.
Simple time signatures
Has even division of beats in a bar.
Compound time signatures
Have odd divisions of beats in a bar. Generally each beat of the measure divides naturally into three equal parts.
Mixed meter
The use of more than one meter in a piece of music. Commonly heard in folk music.
Hypermeter
Refers to the combining of several measures into one unit.
Polymeter
Where the beat varies and the measure stays constant
Changing metre
The modulation or change in meter in a piece of music.
Rhythm
The patterns of long and short sounds and silences in music. It refers to the way a composer divides the beat within the bars to create a desired effect.
Effects of rhythm
- Accentuate the pulse and beat, helping the listener to identify its meter.
- Provide a sense of momentum within a piece of music.
- Highlight a particular instrument.
- Most importantly, help to identify the overall musical genre or style.
Regular rhythm
Like a steady beat, is easy to follow and predictable in composition.
Irregular rhythm
Also known as free rhythm is often improvised for expression. May be heard at the beginning of a piece of music as an introduction to the composition.
Additive rhythm
A rhythm in which larger periods of time are constructed by joining end to end a series of unities into larger units of unequal length. E.g. 5/8 is an additive meter because it is a combination of 2/8 and 3/8 back to back.
Divisive rhythm
A rhythm in which a larger period of time is divided into small rhythmic units. E.g. 4/4 is a divisive meter because it is a combination of two 2/4 units.
Note value
Indicates a note’s length or duration. All note values are relative to each other.
Dotted notes
Where a dot is placed after the note value to indicate an increase in duration of the note by adding half of the original notes value on. Double dotted notes also exist where you add on half the value of the value you added onto the original note.
Tuplets
Any rhythm that involves dividing the beat into unexpected subdivisions within the given time signature.
Triplets
Playing three notes in the space of two.
Quintuplets
Where five notes are played in the space of four.
Sextuplets
Where six notes are played in the space of four.
Septuplets
Where seven notes are played in the space of four.
Rhythmic ostinato
A constantly repeated musical phrase in the same instrument or voice. An ostinato can be rhythmic, melodic or harmonic.
Repetition
Reiteration of a pattern, either immediately after its first statement or throughout the piece of music, as a unifying feature.
Syncopation
An emphasis on the weak or off beats. Composers use syncopation through accents (Accented syncopation), rests (missing note syncopation), and ties (suspended syncopation).
