Rhythm consists of three components: beat, meter and duration. Beat and meter are covered in this chapter. Duration will be addressed under music notation.
Beat
When you dance you move to a steady pulse called the beat. Beat underlies all music and creates rhythmic coherence. Listen to a beat played on a metronome:
Role of the Beat
Music is organized on a time line and beat is the unit of measurement. Sing the first phrase of America while tapping your foot or clapping the beat.
The speed of the beat is called tempo. Tempo is indicated in beats per minute (BPM) or with descriptive terms called tempo markings—typically Italian words. The basic tempos from slow to fast:
largo, very slow and broad
adagio, slow and at ease
andante, moderately slow (walking pace)
andantino, a little faster than andante
moderato, moderately
allegretto, a little slower than allegro
allegro, fast (cheerful)
presto, very fast
Pieces are often referred to by tempo markings. Why? Many instrumental pieces have generic titles such as sonata or numerical designations. Referring to a work by a tempo mark such as Allegro is more memorable than calling out a number.
Metronome
The metronome, invented in 1815 by Johann Maelzel, is used to play a beat for music practice and setting tempo. Numbers indicate beats per minute (BPM). Most metronomes are adjustable from largo (40-60 BPM) to presto (168+ BPM).
Metronome | The nineteenth century metronome used a mechanical click and pendulum to indicate the beat. | Dover Clip Art
Early metronomes were mechanical and use a pendulum and click sound. Current
metronomes are standalone electronic units or smartphone apps.
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) was among the first composers to specify tempos in BPM, believing Italian words were too subjective.
Meter
While singing America you'll feel beats in groups of three: strong-weak-weak. This grouping of beats in a pattern of stressed and unstressed pulses is called meter. The meter of America is triple meter because of the three-beat grouping.
The three most common meters:
Duple meter, two beats in a strong-weak pattern (1-2).
Triple meter, three beats in a strong-weak-weak pattern (1-2-3).
Quadruple meter, four beats in a strong-weak-secondary strong-weak pattern (1-2-3-4).
The first beat of any meter is called the downbeat.
Conductor | The conductor shows the first beat of a meter by dropping his baton, hence the term downbeat. | Dover Clip Art
Duple Meter
Sing Mary had a Little Lamb while chapping the beat. Feel the strong-weak (1-2) pattern? That's the feel of duple meter. It's a favorite for marches because duple meter synchronizes with the left-right stepping pattern of two legs.
Listen to the strong-weak (1-2) metric groove of On The Avignon Bridge:
On The Avignon Bridge | Frary Ukulele Band | French song in duple meter
Triple meter
Sing On Top of Old Smokey while clapping and you'll hear the strong-weak-weak pattern (1-2-3) of its underlying triple meter. Triple meter, sometimes called waltz time, is common in classical and folk music but heard less in popular music.
Listen to the strong-weak-weak (1-2-3) meter pattern of Malagueña:
Malagueña | Frary Ukulele Band | Traditional Spanish dance in triple meter
Quadruple meter
Sing a chorus of Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory while clapping and you'll feel the groove of the strong-weak-secondary strong-weak quadruple meter pattern (1-2-3-4). Quadruple meter is also called common time because it is used frequently.
Listen to the strong-weak-secondary strong-weak meter pattern (1-2-3-4):
Hawaii Five-O | The Frary Ukulele Band | Pop instrumental in quadruple meter
Study Questions
Meter is something your hear and feel while listening to music. Listen to the beat and accents in The Rose and Minuet below. First, find the downbeat and count the beats between accents. They should add up to repeating beat patterns of two, three or four. What are the meters of The Rose and Minuet? [answer below]
The Rose | Frary Ukulele Band
Minuet | Leeward Coast Guitars
Syncopation
Musical sounds usually agree with the flow of beat and meter. Sometimes they contradict or obscure the meter by placing emphasis on normally weak beats or weak parts of a beat. This displacement of metrical accents is called syncopation.
Sinner Man is in quadruple meter. In the version below, most bass notes and chords hit on stressed beats of the meter, beats one and three:
Next, I recorded Sinner Man with syncopations in the bass and guitar chords. The first bass note hits on the downbeat but the second note lands in between beats two and three, obscuring the metrical accent on the third beat. Guitar chords hit on beats two and four, normally weak beats, making a syncopated rhythm bed for the 'ukulele melody. The tension from two syncopated parts against the straightforward melody is a feature of syncopation. Sinner Man with syncopated bass and chords:
Sinner Man | Frary Ukulele Band
The tension of syncopations make a more interesting arrangement.
Answers
The Rose is in quadruple meter. Minuet is in triple meter.
Beat
Role of the Beat
Tempo
Metronome
Duple Meter
Triple meter
Quadruple meter
Study Questions
