Rhythm, metre and tempo Flashcards
ornamentation
the process of elaborating or decorating musical material (particularly a melody). including conventional ornaments such as trills and turns
articulation
the degree to which a note is separated from the note that follows it (ranging from minimal (legato) to much greater (staccato or staccatissimo)
tempo
the speed of the music, (e.g. slow, quick or lively)
metre
indicated by a time signature, concerns the pattern and number of strong and weak beats (e.g. 2/4 metre has two crotchets per bar, the first ‘strong’, the second ‘weak’)
rhythm
the relationship between sounds and the passage of time, and often concerns conventional grouping (e.g. ‘dotted rhythms’)
beat
most music has regular beat rather as most people have a regular pulse. small numbers of beats are generally grouped into bars. some beats, notably the first of a bar are ‘strong’ or ‘accented’, others, notably the last, are ‘weak’ or ‘unaccented’. some rhythms come ‘off the beat’)
dotted rhythm
the term ‘dotted rhythm’ is usually applied to a pair of notes consisting of a dotted note and a shorter note (the two making up a complete beat or number of beats), or to several successive such pairs of notes
duration
in rhythmic terms, the length of a note
shuffle
a rhythm based on the shuffle dance step, characteristically featuring alternately long and short notes (within triplet groupings)
swing
a jazz style that incorporates swung rhythms
swung rhythm
two notes of the same value (usually quavers) are played with the first lengthened and the second correspondingly shortened (as often in jazz)
syncopation
a ‘strong’ or stressed note occurs on a part of a bar or beat that would normally be ‘weak’ or unstressed
triplets
three notes of equal value taking the time normally occupied by two notes of the same written value (or by one undotted note of the next highest value)
accent
notes may be given special prominence by the addition of accent marks (e.g. >)
