Rhythm Flashcards
Anacrusis
One or more weak-beat notes before the first strong beat of a phrase, which is often called a ‘pick up’ or ‘upbeat’ in pop music.
Augmentation
A proportionate increase in the note lengths of a melody, for eg when two quavers and a crotchet are augmented they become two crotchets and a minim (the opposite of ‘diminution’).
Diminution
The opposite of ‘augmentation’: a proportionate reduction in the note lengths of a melody, for eg when two crotchets and a quaver are diminuted they become two quavers and a semiquaver.
Hemiola
A rhythmic device In which two groups of three beats (strong-weak-weak, strong-weak-weak) are performed as three groups of two (strong-weak, strong-weak, strong-weak).
Rubato
Literally meaning ‘robbed’, to play with rubato means to be flexible with the tempo, with some notated rhythms becoming shorter and some longer, with fluctuations in speed throughout the piece. Common in Romantic period music.
Pause
A pause sign over a note or a rest increases the length of that note or rest. A pause often occurs at the end of a phrase.
Semibreve
A musical note that lasts for 4 beats.
Minim
A musical note which lasts for 2 beats.
Crotchet
A musical note that lasts for 1 beat.
Quaver
A musical note that lasts for half a beat. Quavers are often found in pairs to make up a crochet beat.
Semiquaver
A musical note that lasts for a quarter of a beat. Semiquavers are often found in pairs (to make a quaver beat) or in groups of four (to make a crochet beat).
Dotted Rhythm
A rhythm in which the beat is unequally subdivided into a long dotted note and a shorter following note.
Triplet
A group of three equal notes to be performed in the time of two or four.
Scotch Snap
A rhythmic feature in which a dotted note is preceded by a stressed shorter note, characteristic of folk music.
