Rhythm/ Tempo Flashcards
Simple Time
Music with either 2, 3 or 4 beats in a bar each beat is worth a crotchet
Compound Time
Each beat is divided into groups of 3 pulses
Slower/ Faster
Tempo of the music gets faster or slower
Accelerando
Music gets gradually faster
Rallentando
Music gradually gets slower
Ritardando
Music slows down seemingly “held back” and may happen at any time in the music
Rubato
The performer plays in a very free way and is able to pull the music about to suit the situation
A Tempo
Music returns to previous tempo after a tempo change
Bar
A section of musical time, divided by bar lines and seperated
On The Beat
The main accents are on the beat
Off The Beat
The main accents are off the beat
Sycopation
Accented notes playing off or against the beat
Scotch Snap
A rhythmic figure with a short accented note followed by a longer note
Cross Rhythms
Effect where 2 notes are played against 3
Dotted Rhythms
Long notes followed by short notes and vice versa, giving a jolty effect
Anacrusis
Notes which appear before the first strong beat of the bar. Almost like a very short lead in.
Jig
A fast Scottish dance in compound time (Jiggity Jiggity)
March
Music with a strong steady pulse with 2 or 4 beats in a bar
Strathspey
A Scottish dance with 4 beats in a bar. feat. Scotch Snaps
Reel
A fast Scottish dance in simple time. (Double Decker)
Waltz
A dance in simple time with 3 beats in a bar
Adagio
Slow, stately tempo
Andante
Walking pace, medium tempo
Moderato
A moderate, medium pace. A bit livelier than andante
Allegro
Fast, quick and bright
Drum Fill
A rhythmic decoration played on the drum kit
Beat/Pulse
The basic pulse you hear in the music. The pulse may be in groups of 2/3/4 with an accent/stress on the first beat of each bar
Pause
The musical flow/rhythm is held up by a long note or silence
Accent/Accented
Notes that are slightly stressed sounding louder than others
