Rhythm Flashcards
Simple meter
A particular type of meter, the grouping of strong and weak beats in musical composition that establishes the basic rhythm of a particular piece or section of a piece of music. In simple meter, the beats can be divided into even divisions of two.
Compound meter
Meters in which the beat divides into three, and then further subdivides into six. Duple meters have groupings of two beats, triple meters have groupings of three beats, and quadruple meters have groupings of four beats.
Asymmetrical meter
The measure cannot be divided into equal beats. Asymmetrical meters may behave like simple or compound meters, however, if the lower number is 2 or 4, it usually will behave like simple, if 8 or greater, it usually will behave like compound.
Hypermeter
A meter at a higher level, combining several measures into one unit. Also, it is a unit in which each regular measure is one beat of a larger meter.
Harmonic rhythm
the rate at which the chords change in a musical composition, in relation to the rate of notes. Thus a passage in common time with a stream of sixteenth notes and chord changes every measure has a slow harmonic rhythm and a fast surface or “musical” rhythm (16 notes per chord change), while a piece with a trickle of half notes and chord changes twice a measure has a fast harmonic rhythm and a slow surface rhythm (1 note per chord change). Harmonic rhythm may be described as strong or weak.
Hemiola
A musical figure in which, typically, two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two beats, giving the effect of a shift between triple and duple meter.
Syncopation
A temporary displacement of the regular metrical accent in music caused typically by stressing the weak beat. A variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. Used in many musical styles, especially dance music. Syncopation can also occur when a strong harmony is simultaneous with a weak beat, for instance, when a 7th chord is played on the second beat of 3/4 measure or a dominant chord is played at the fourth beat of a 4/4 measure.
Anacrusis
A note or sequence of notes, a motif, precedes the first downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase. The anacrusis prepares your ears for the next measure’s downbeat and is therefore sometimes referred to as the ‘upbeat’ in the traditional notation-the amount of beats in the anacrusis is taken out of the very last measure of the song to even out the difference.
Agogic accent
An adjective indicating of accentuation demanded by the nature of a particular musical phrase, rather than by the regular metric pulse of the music. The first note of a phrase, for instance, may be felt to suggest a slight lingering which confers the effect of an accent: similarly, a leap to note significantly higher or lower than the preceding notes, or a strong discord resolving to a concord, may convey an effect of accentuation (by means of lingering, pressure, etc.) and there are other examples.
Elision
Elision is the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase. An elision is a special device for joining phrases together in an overlapping manner. In an elision, the final bar of one phrase is simultaneously the first bar of the next phrase.
Suspension
Suspensions are accented non-chord tones occurring on downbeats. A suspension is approached by the same note and resolves down by step. A suspension is made up of a preparation, suspension, and resolution. Sometimes the preparation is tied to the suspension.
Retardation
A retardation is essentially an upward-resolving suspension. It is almost always reserved for the final chord of a large formal division (or a movement), and it frequently appears simultaneously with a suspension (as seen in the example). Instead of RET, it is preferable to notate the intervallic pattern in the thoroughbass figures.
