Jonathan Shaw
  • Fall 2019 Honors Appreciation
    • Day 1 >
      • Syllabus & Defining Music Appreciation >
        • Activity : Judging Music
    • Day 2
    • Characteristics of Music - Part 1
    • Instrumentation
    • Texture
    • Melody >
      • Isn't She Lovely
    • Harmony
    • Rhythm
    • Song Meaning / Analysis
    • Artistic Intention
    • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment >
      • Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Song Form
    • Genre Thoughts
    • Sampling
    • Film Music
    • Movie Projects (Examples)
  • Fall 2019 Online Music Appreciation
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5 >
      • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment
      • Week 5 Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Week 6
    • Week 7 >
      • Timeline of Harmony
    • Week 9
  • Biography
    • Resume/C.V.
  • Aural Theory II
    • Page 2
    • Practice Test
    • Final Days
  • Aural Theory I
    • Reading Material
    • Tuesday 9/4
    • Class 2 : 9/11
    • Class 3 : 9/13
    • 9/18
    • 9/20 >
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Quiz Listening
    • Class 10/2 & 10/4
    • 10/9
    • 10/11
    • 10/18
    • Dictation Practice
    • 6/8 Piece
    • BassLine Singing
    • FINAL MATERIALS
  • Music Fundamentals
    • Homework
    • Class 2 : 9/11 >
      • Melody
      • Harmony
      • Intro to Rhythm
      • Instrumentation
      • Instrumentation Chart / Song Map
    • Class 3 : 9/18 >
      • Quiz
      • Matching Pitches
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Class #4 : 9/25 >
      • Rhythm
      • More Rhythm....
      • Song Form
    • Class #5 : 10/2
    • Class #6 : 10/9
    • Class #7 : 10/17
    • Class #8 : 10/23 >
      • ID'ing Basslines
    • Class 9 : 10/30
    • Class #10 11/6
    • Mid Term Project
    • Mid Term Project Due Dates
    • Class 12 : 11/13
    • Class #13 : 11/20
    • Class 14 - 11/26
    • Class 15 : 12/4
    • Class 16 : FINAL
  • Music Fundamentals for Sound Engineers
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5
    • Week 6
    • Week 7
    • Week 8 >
      • Notation Practice - Test
    • Week 9
    • Week 10
    • Week 12
    • Week 13
    • Week 14
    • Week 15
  • Materials
  • Recordings/Links
  • Education
  • Contact

Rhythm

Rhythm as a Concept

Webster:  a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.
OR
Repetitive/Consistant Patterns In Time

This (like Harmony) is a term we take from real life

Think of how many repeated patterns in time we have in our life:
Sleep Schedule.....
Eating/Dietary......
Work Schedule......

The SEASONS are on a repeated Pattern in Time

Physical Movements:
Running -  Consistant Pattern 
Heartbeat.....
Walking....
Chewing....
Talking....

Not only are these present in our life, but we see the theme of
Consistency and Familiarity because we generally 
like the Rhythm ( repetitive patterns in time) at a 

Consistant/Constant Speed

Heartbeat...
Walking...
Chewing ...
Talking...

and FURTHER, if there is a change  or inconsistency in speed with these physical movements, 
that can represent acertain EMOTIONA




Characteristics of Rhythm:  
Duration/Note Length,  Explicit Vs. Implicit


Rhythm is Delivered - I.E. how we hear it - in many different ways depending on Genre, Instrumentation, and Style etc.

For Example, it could be delivered by a Drum Set in a Rock Band, A Synthesized Beat in  a Modern Hip hop Song,  Pulsing strings in a String Quartet, or beatboxing in an A Capella Ensemble

No Matter what it is Provided by, Regardless of How fast it is, somehow we always Feel the Beat
So, Given that it is Always There, we want to examine it's Characteristics

Delivery: 

What is it being Provided By
How is it being Provided

Explicit  -------------------------VS-------------------------------Implicit

Very Obvious ---------------------VS-----------------------------Not Obvious

​


*********************Side-Note*******************

Notice How many of these concepts are based on a set of Two Extremes
Examples:

Consonant------------vs.--------------- Dissonant
Repetitive-------------vs.----------------Non-Repetitive

High----------------vs-----------------Low
​Video #1
Daphnis and Chloe

 
-Beginning is void of any real obvious rhythm
-Mostly Stagnant notes, or instruments playing long notes s
            -this creates that spacey feeling, we are waiting for something to ground us
-Feel the CONTRAST when finally we get some more explicit rhythm at 0:40 in the strings
-They use the lack of rhythm to build to a climax

-by 2:30/3:00 we have a solid rhythm (i.e. can tap our foot)
 
 

Video #2
Now Contrast that with this "Staccato Hora"

-Immediately we have something to tap our foot to
-makes us want to move much more
-the rhythm is explicitly outlined in the music by shorter notes all over the orchestra

 


MORE NOTES = MORE INFORMATION
(In the case, Rhythmic Information)
 
Depending on the note lengths that the different instruments are playing, we can alter how the rhythm is implied!




Video #3
How does this apply to modern pop music:
 
Try to apply some of those concepts to this modern pop song

Questions About Rhythm in A Specific Song
How Is the Rhythm being Implied?
What is the rhythm being Implied/Provided by? 
Is it VERY obvious, or NOT VERY obvious?  
How is this effected by note length/duration?
How could he imply differently?
What sounds best



Video #4
What if we were to add drums to that track? 

Questions About Rhythm in A Specific Song
How Is the Rhythm being Implied?
What is the rhythm being Implied/Provided by? 
Is it VERY obvious, or NOT VERY obvious?  
How is this effected by note length/duration?
How could he imply differently?
Optional: 
What sounds best?

Notating Rhythm
Key Terms:   Tempo,  Time Signature,   Bar/Measure,  Rest

Tempo is the Easiest to remember!

Tempo literally means Time in Italian 
Tempo = Speed

We can put a numerical value on speed in music by measure the 'BPM' or 'Beats per Minute'

We can change this in GB

​A Metronome is a music device used for keeping time/tempo​


​When it comes to notating Rhythm, it is all about division

Two Types of Division -  We Divide the entire piece into Bars/Measure, and we Divide those measures into Beats.  

* Note *  :  When using the word 'beat' in this sense, do not confuse it with the (wrong) general usage of 'beat' when referring to a drum groove or drum loop.  That is not a beat!  A beat is a single unit of measurement referring to a quarter note

Picture
The first division is Measures 
  • This piece is divided into a series of measures that get 4 beats each
  • ​In this case, the song is 12 measures! (the total number of measures in a song is will almost always be an even number that can be divided by 4)
  • The amount of beats per bar is specified by the Time Signature 
    • In this case, 4/4 times means each bar gets 4 quarter notes (we will come back to this)
  • Measure are divided by a bar line
Picture

​Quarter Notes
​When we say a 'Beat'  We are referring to a single quarter note:
  • The quarter note is our most basic unit of measurement.  
  • The metronome in GarageBand beats out quarter notes
  • The quarter note gets a beat value of 1 beat. 

Quarter Note = 1 beat
Picture

​Half Notes:
Notice how when we get to 'G' we hold it out a little LONGER:
  • The Half Note is twice as long as the quarter note
  • The Half Note gets a note value of 2 Beats
    • If we snap our fingers to the beat while singing, the half note gets to snaps
​Half Note =  2 Beats

Picture

​Eighth Note:
Notice on the ' L M N O ' Part how the notes are SHORTER:
  • The Eighth note is half as long as the quarter note
  • the eighth note gets a beat value of  1/2 a beat
    • If we snap our fingers when we sing, the eight note will happen twice inside each snap
Eight note =  1/2 a beat
Picture
Check out happy birthday below, what has changed?   

We are still using only 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 notes......
Picture
In this case the Time Signature has Changed!!
We still divide the piece into measures, but now the measure only get 3 beats each instead of 4

In a time Signature:
  • the top note specifies how many beats are in each bar
  • the bottom notes specifies which note gets the beat (this is ALMOST ALWAYS THEY QUARTER NOTE - Especially in Popular music)
  • For the bottom note, we use the number that appears in the fraction for the note ( quarter = 1/4,  half = 1/2,  eighth = 1/8 etc.)  

More or less in all styles, but especially in popular music, the two most common time signatures are 4/4 and 3/4  (as always there are exceptions)

Pop Songs in 3/4   or Triple Metre
Picture
** Note **  
The songs we used for examples are both very Rhythmically Simple!!  
​This is because they are meant to be easy to sing, learn, and memorize!!

This is not always the case!! Just like Melody , Harmony ,  Instrumentation ETC  Rhythm is a device composers can use to make their music more interesting/Complex !
Money - Pink Floyd

Time Signature  :   Top Number tells us how many beats in each measure, bottom tells us what note gets the beat
SO  - We get 7 quarter notes in each measure
Picture
Mission Impossible Theme

5/4  - we get 5 quarter notes each bar

This piece is unique because it starts out in a 5 feel then switches to 4 - see if we can feel it....
Picture
Changes  - 2pac feat. Talent

​
The Rhythm in rap is very unique,  because the most emphasis is put on rhythm of the melody, rather than the notes in most other songs. 
Picture
The sixteenth note
  • The 1/16 note is half as long as the 1/8 note
  • The 1/16 note gets a beat value of 1/4 beat
    • if we snap along with the song, we will get 4 sixteenth notes inside one snap
a sixteenth note =  1/4 beat 
Picture
** Note **
This is little confusing, because the name/fraction of the note does not reflect how much of the beat each note gets, but rather how much of a 4/4 measure the note gets 
I.E.  In 4/4 time:

Two 1/2 notes in a measure
Four 1/4 notes in a measure
Eight 1/8 notes in a measure
Sixteen  1/16 notes in a measure

The last of the Very Common note value ( we can divide and infinite amount of times , 1/32 notes, 1/64 note etc) Is the Whole Note
The Whole Note
  • The Whole Note is the largest note value you we have
  • We do not use a fraction for the whole note, but if we did it would be 1/1(because there is 1 whole note in a measure of 4/4)
  • The whole note has a beat value of 4
    • If we snap along to the beat while singing, we would get four snaps for 1 whole note
Whole note = 4 beats
Picture
Just as important as the notes, are the spaces in between where the musician is NOT PLAYING!
These are called Rests
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