Key Terms: Time/ Rhythm Signature

Simple Time

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Compound Time


Regular rythm

Irregular rythm

Free rythm

 

Give examples of Regular Rythms

4/4

2/4

12/8

6/8

9/8

 

Give examples of Irregular Rythms

 

5/4

5/8

7/4

7/8

11/4

 

 

Give examples of  simple time

4/4

2/4

3/4

Give examples of compound time

12/8

6/8

9/8

 

Augmentation

when a melody or series of notes are repeated using longer duration

 

Diminution

when a melody or series of notes are repeated using a shorter duration

 

Hemiola

“three against two” feel in typically 3/4 time Where two bars of 3/4 are played as three bars of 2/4 or one bar of 3/2

 

Where are Hemiolas found

Typically in the Baroque and Renaissance periods.
Metre
The number of beats in a bar
Tempo
The speed of the music – measured in BPM and also uses metronome markings
Cross rhythm
When two different rhythms of usually different metres are played together at the same time
Triplet
Three notes being played in the time of two
Syncopation
When the notes are played off the beat
Rubato
Literally ‘robbed time’, where rhythms are played freely for expressive effect
Polyrhythm
When two or more rhythms are played at the same time. (Often with different pulses)
Drum fill
Usually heard at the end of a phrase, this is where the drummer plays a free rhythmic pattern
Pulse
The beat in a piece of music
Metre
The number of beats in a bar
Accelerando
the music gets gradually faster
ACCENT –
Means that a note is given more emphasis or stress than others.
ADAGIO
to be performed slowly and in a relaxed manner (just think slow)
ALLEGRO
fast
ALLEGRETTO
a bit fast, not as fast as allegro
ANDANTE
quite slow. It literally means walking speed.
ARPEGGIO/ Broken chord
– when the notes of a chord are played one after the other instead of all at once. Like finger style on a guitar. (See also BROKEN CHORD)
COUNTER-MELODY
– another tune which is played along with the main tune.
music gets gradually quieter.
Diminuendo
GLISSANDO –
sliding from one note to another like a slide on a guitar with a bottleneck. Trombones and violins etc do this really well. They seem to like this one it has been in every paper recently.
IMITATION
when one instrument or voice simply copies what another has already done. This can be higher or lower.
Largo
Slow and Dignified
NOTE CLUSTER
– lots of notes really close together, a DISCORD, sounds nasty, like someone leaning on a piano keyboard. They used to like this but I haven’t seen it recently.
PEDAL
a long, LOW note that carries on under the music. It could also be a series of repeated notes but it must be the same note and it must be LOW. If the same thing happens with a high note it is called an INVERTED PEDAL.
PRESTO
Music is played fast
RITARDANDO
opposite of accelerando- music gets gradually slower
Sequence
when a pattern of notes is played or sung again but slightly higher or lower, usually by the same instrument or voice. Another favourite one this.
SFORZANDO
When a bit suddenly stands out in the music.
SYNCOPATION
when the music lies against the beat instead of with it. Most popular music is syncopated, most marches and waltzes, for example, aren’t.
TRILL
moving quickly between a note and the one above it. This can happen in the melody on long notes.
Vivace
play lively
MINUET
This has three beats to the bar
Medium speed
Lacks an um-pa-pa rhythmic background
Slower than a waltz
Sarabande
slow and serious – (only one that is slow of the four baroque music)
Gavotte
Quite quick
steady 2 beat pulse
Gigue
Fast- (analogus to JIG)
2 beats a bar
each beat split into 3 parts
usually a score is given with the question; groups of three would be evident.
Where is gigue performed
in a Court or Royal Court
Vocoder
almost always used on voices and it makes you sound like a Dalek from Doctor Who.