Rhythm and Metre

Question 1

Rhythm

Answer 1

An arrangement (pattern) of musical sounds with different durations.

Question 2

Pulse

Answer 2

The steady beat of the music - often stays the same throughout.

Question 3

Duration

Answer 3

The length of the notes (semibreves, minims, crochets, quavers, semiquavers, etc).

Question 4

Time Signature

Answer 4

Shows how many beats are in each bar and what kind of beats they are.

4/4 = 4 Crochet beats in a bar

If the lower number is 4 each beat is a crotchet

If the lower number is 2 each beat is a minim

If the lower number is 8 each beat is a quaver

Question 5

Triplets

Answer 5

3 notes played in the time of 2 (triplet quavers would be played over time of two quavers)

Question 6

Compound Time

Answer 6

Has 6, 9, or 12 beats in a bar (the top number of time signature). The main beats of the bar are subdivided into groups of three.

The audio example is in 12/8 - 4 sets of 3 quavers (4x3)

This feels like ‘1-and-a 2-and-a 3-and-a 4-and-a’

Question 7

Simple Time

Answer 7

Has 2, 3 or 4 beats in a bar (the top number of time signature). The main beats of the bar are subdivided into groups of two.

Question 8

Dotted Rhythms

Answer 8

Adds half the original value to a note. (e.g. a dotted crotchet lasts for one and a half crotchet beats)

Question 9

Tempo

Answer 9

The speed of the music.

Question 10

Syncopation

Answer 10

The strong notes are on unexpected/weak beats, so it sounds “off- beat”. Used a lot in jazz and pop music, such as this Stevie Wonder song.

Question 11

Metre

Answer 11

The pattern of the beats/pulse.

Metre can be regular (e.g. 4/4); irregular (e.g. 7/4); or free (no strong sense of pulse).

Question 12

Semibreve

Answer 12

A note worth 4 beats.

Question 13

Minim

Answer 13

A note worth 2 beats.

Question 14

Crotchet

Answer 14

A note worth 1 beat.

Question 15

Quaver

Answer 15

A note worth half a beat.

Question 16

Semi-quaver

Answer 16

A note worth quarter of a beat.

Question 17

Rubato

Answer 17

When the performer speeds up or slows down to add extra expressiveness to a performance. Very common in Romantic Period.

Question 18

Polyrhythm

Answer 18

More than 2 rhythms played at the same time. It sounds like they fit together.

Question 19

Cross-rhythm

Answer 19

Two contrasting rhythms played at the same time. It sounds like they don’t really fit together.

Question 20

Drum Fills

Answer 20

Short drum solos to join up sections of music, or for the drummer to show off.

Question 21

Augmentation

Answer 21

To make something bigger. In rhythm, it means to double the length of each note.

Question 22

Diminution

Answer 22

To make something smaller. In rhythm, it means to halve the length of each note.

Question 23

Regular Metre

Answer 23

The pattern of the beats falls into regular measures. (e.g. bars containing 2, 3 or 4 strong beats with no time signature changes).

Both simple and compound time signatures are in regular metre.

Question 24

Irregular Metre

Answer 24

The pattern of the beats falls into irregular measures. (e.g. bars containing 5 or 7 beats – is it clearly repetitive but difficult to tell what the time signature is).

Audio Example is called ‘Take Five’ and is in 5/4

Question 25

Free Metre

Answer 25

There is no regular time signature

The music appears to float with no regular sense of pulse, or strong beats in the bar (like the first and third beat, or the ‘offbeat’).

Audio Example is from ‘Pierrot Lunaire’ by Arnold Schoenberg.

Question 26

Allegretto

Answer 26

(Tempo): Fairly quick

Question 27

Allegro

Answer 27

(Tempo): Quick

Question 28

Andante

Answer 28

(Tempo): Medium / Walking Pace / Leisurely

Question 29

Lento

Answer 29

(Tempo): Very slow

Question 30

Adagio

Answer 30

(Tempo): Slowly

Question 31

Accelerando

Answer 31

(Tempo): To get faster (accelerate)

Audio example is from Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg.

Question 32

Rallentando

Answer 32

(Tempo): To get slower

Question 33

Hemiola

Answer 33

A rhythmic device where music that has 3 beats per bar briefly feels like it has 2 beats per bar.

Audio example is by Handel: the first eight bars are clearly in 3/4, then it feels like there are three bars of 2/4 before it goes back to 3/4. This rhythmic trick is a hemiola.