module 1 - rhythm Flashcards
definition of rhythm in music
the temporal arrangement of sounds
broadcast definition of rhythm
the organized interchange of opposing components
True or False: Rhythm comes from the Latin word “rhythmos.”
False, Greek word
Etymology of rhythm
Greek “rhythmos” –> “rhein” - meaning “to flow”
True or False: The concept of rhythm may also be found in nature.
True
True or False: A musical composition is reliant on space.
False, time
The temporal pattern of music
Rhythm
The one essential component of all music
Rhythm
True or False: Melody can exist without rhythm.
False
True or False: Rhythm cannot exist without melody.
False
True or False: Melody cannot exist without rhythm, while rhythm can exist without melody.
True
What is Plato’s definition of rhythm?
An order of movement
How does rhythm exist without melody?
In drum beats of primordial music
The unit division of musical time
Beat
The pace of the fundamental beat
Tempo
Tempo is an Italian word, which means
Time
A moderate tempo is similar to that of
A walking pace or a heartbeat
True or False: The tempo of a piece of music by a composer is absolute and final.
False
True or False: A change in the tempo affects the rhythmic structure.
False
True or False: The tempo of a musical piece is never inflexibly mathematical.
True
Modifications of tempo
Tempo rubato
Translation of Tempo rubato
Robbed time
Rubato needs the framework of
an inflexible beat
The round part of the note
Note Head
The most fundamental component of the note
Note Head
Indicates the note’s pitch when placed on the staff
Note Head
Kinds of note heads
Open (hollow) or closed (filled)
Kinds of note heads determine
The note’s duration
The thin, vertical line of the note
Stem
True or False: The stem of a note can extend upwards or downwards.
True
True or False: The direction of the stem affects the pitch or duration of the note.
False
The direction of the stem is determined by
Note’s position on the staff and by voice-leading principles in polyphonic textures
The presence of this helps musicians determine the rhythmic value of the note
Flag
Small curved lines attached to the stem
Flag
Flags are shorter than
A quarter note
Crotchet
Quarter note
Quaver
Eighth note
Semiquaver
Sixteenth note
Used to group notes together
Beams
Horizontal lines connecting stems of eighth notes and shorter notes in a group
Beams
Beams connect the stems of
Eighth and shorter notes
A crucial aspect conveyed through the combination of note heads, stems, flags, and beams
Duration
Tells musicians how long a note should be held relative to tempo
Duration
Duration is indicated by
Note head shape, flag, and beam (if any)
Placed directly to the right of a note
Dot
A dot increases
A note’s duration
A dot increases a note’s duration by
half of its original value
Add rhythmic complexity and flexibility to music
Dot
A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch
Tie
Indicates notes to be played as a single sustained note with a combined duration
Tie
Used to sustain notes across bar lines
Tie
Used to extend a note’s value beyond its standard rhythmic notation
Tie
Duration of whole note
4 counts
Duration of half note
2 counts
Duration of quarter note
1 count
Duration of eighth note
1/2 count
Duration of sixteenth note
1/4 count
Whole note + dot =
6 beats
Half note + dot =
3 beats
Quarter note + dot =
1 1/2 beats
Eighth note + dot =
3/4 beats
A normal staff consists of what kind of lines
Horizontal and parallel
How many lines does a normal staff have
5 lines
How many spaces in a normal staff?
5 lines, 4 spaces
True or False: A note can be placed only in the line part of the staff.
False, also in the space part.
G clef
Treble clef
F clef
Bass clef
Indication of G clef
The note G is above middle C and falls on the second line of the staff
This clef curls around the line where G falls
G clef
Indication of F clef
The note F is below middle C and falls on the fourth line of the staff
This clef has two dots surrounding the line where F falls
F clef
A combination of two staves with the treble clef in the upper staff and the bass clef in the lower staff
Grand Staff
The staves are connected by
A vertical line and a brace at the left side
True or False: In a grand staff, the treble clef is in the lower staff.
False
True or False: In a grand staff, the bass clef is in the upper staff.
False
True or False: In a grand staff, the treble clef is in the upper staff.
True
True or False: In a grand staff, the bass clef is in the lower staff.
True
Time signatures are also known as
Meter
The notations in sheet music guiding the rhythmic structure of a piece
Time Signature
True or False: The time signature appears at the end of a piece of music.
False, at the start
Lets musicians know how to count before playing
Time Signature
Gives instructions on how to divide and feel the rhythmic pulse of a tune ensuring written sheet music sounds as intended
Time Signature
Sheet music is split into bars called
Measure lines
Helps musicians visualize and divide the piece into chunks and phrases
Bar lines
Vertical lines drawn through the staff, containing a number of beats dictated by the time signature
Bar lines
What does the top number of a time signature tell you?
How many beats are in each bar
What does the bottom number of a time signature tell you?
The value/type of beat
How do you read 4/4?
4 beats per measure, quarter note receives one count
How do you read 2/4?
2 beats per measure, quarter note receives one count
How do you read 2/2?
2 beats per measure, half note receives one count
How do you read 6/8?
6 beats per measure, eighth note receives one count
When the bottom number of the time signature is 2, its note value is
Half beats
When the bottom number of the time signature is 4, its note value is
Quarter beats
When the bottom number of the time signature is 8, its note value is
Eighth beats
The time signature referred to as common time
4/4
4/4 can be represented as
C
The time signature AKA “cut time” or “alla breve”
2/2
2/2 cut time can be represented as
C with a vertical line cutting through it
A lively time signature popular in polkas and marches
2/4
The time signature of the graceful waltz
3/4
The time signature relying on an accented first beat followed by 2 active beats
3/4
