RHYTHM GLOSSARY

Rhythm and music terms sometimes have different meanings.

Cycle: One whole repetition of a rhythm.

Measure: In rhythm; a drawn abstract representation of a block of time on which notes, etc. are written for reference. The block of time represented may be from 1/4 of the rhythm's cycle to the span of the whole cycle itself.

Example: Rhythm of two 8 pulse measures

|========== cycle ==============|
|=1st measure  =|=2nd measure  =|
|               |      *        | =accent
|1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &|1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &| =16 pulses (8 per measure) 
|B   t   B   t  |B   t O     t  |
 r   l   r   l  |r   l r     l

Example: Rhythm of one 12 pulse measure

|======== cycle ========|
|======= measure =======|
|*     *     *          | =accents
|1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6|
|B   O B   O B   O   O  |

Pulse: Smallest "regular" temporal division of a measure.

Ostinato: The continuos repetition of a cycle.

Rhythm: Pattern of notes, usually of one or two or (rarer) more measures, to be played ostinato. May be a single part or be made up of several parts (multilinear).

Rhythm Music: (as separate from melodic music) Music produced primarily by altering patterns of notes and/or accents rather than altering pitch. Melody may be non- existent or incidental to the rhythmic pattern.

Melodic Music: (as separate from rhythm music) Always has a melody of pitches in a rhythmic pattern. Produced by changes of pitch rather than by changes of pattern.

Percussion Instrument: The sound is created by something being struck. It may be melodic as in a piano or xylophone or non melodic as in a drum.

Rhythm Instrument: A short scale (non-melodic, few pitches) instrument used in the production of rhythm music.

Percussionist: Accompanies melodic music on percussion instruments.

Rhythmist: Performs rhythm music with rhythm instruments.

Part: One rhythm in a multiple rhythm piece.

Multilinear Rhythm: A rhythm consisting of more than one part.

Beat: (abstract) In music, a fixed unit of time, marking a regular series of strong and weak accents that is some major fraction of the time of a measure. i.e.: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 of the measure. Used for conducting and counting.

Beat: (real) In rhythm, ostinato series of strong accents produced by rhythm. Used for performing and measuring.

Main or Dance Beat: The outstanding series of perceived physiological accents of a rhythm. (Where the unrehearsed dancer would tap or move his/her feet or body.)

Subsidiary Beat: All beats other than the main beat.

Part Beat: The main beat of a single part.

Counter Beat: subsidiary beats occurring exactly between the main beats.

Polymetric Beat: Different metrical beat series, usually subsidiary.

Tempo: How fast a rhythm is played.

Accent: Where a note has greater presence and/or appears to be louder. Three main types are used in rhythm music.

1. Dynamic: a louder, harder struck note.

2. Tonic: Note stands out because of a sudden change in pitch.

3. Agogic:

a. Isolation: there are no notes immediately before it.
b. Duration: there are no notes immediately after it.

Wattage: slang for how intense or effective a rhythm is. High wattage rhythms have great presence and drive. Low wattage rhythms are less danceable.