Lesson 4a - Rhythm

Introduction

Rhythm is found in various aspects of life: the cycle of night and day, the four seasons, and the rise and fall of tides. We feel the rhythm as we breathe, and find it in our heartbeats.

In music, rhythm refers to the variety of different duration of musical notes. It is a general term to describe the motion of music in time. Rhythm differs greatly in different traditions. For instance:

ISU Fight Song

Iowa State Marching band, trombone section

Music for marching band, rap and dance music have regular rhythms.

Press the play button to listen.

Grunt: Aurora

choir

The rhythm in religious chants and recitatives of Western operas are less regular as the music imitates the rhythm of the text.

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Translation of the lyrics:
Dawn Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo. I Said, Cock-a-doodle-doo.
Chickens: O, first light! The sun is rising. The strutting rooster calls. Now comes the farmer.
Solo Chicken: Behold Old MacDonald, who has a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
(Pigorian Chant from Snouto Domoinko De Silo. Discovered, translated, notated & illuminated by Sandra Boynton. New York: Workman Publishing, 1996. ISBN 0-7611-0594-8)

Shakuhachi

Japanese woman playing shakuhachi

Japanese flute music (shakuhachi) is characterized by "free rhythms" or music has no discernible beat.

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In standard Western musical notation, rhythm is indicated on a musical staff with bar lines. However, rhythm can also be visualized in different ways. Watch the following video as musician John Varney describes the "wheel method" of tracing the rhythm in music around the world. (LO4.1)

To view subtitles, click the CC button in the toolbar. | Transcript of the video.

Quick Check (LO4.1)

According to John Varney, what is essentially an event repeating regularly over time?

Music

That's not correct.

The beat

That's not correct.

Rhythm

That's correct. Good job!

Meter

That's not correct.

Accent

That's not correct.

Check Answer

References:
Images: ISU band by Garrett Heyd/Iowa State Daily | Choir by Pixabay | Japanese flute by Commons Wikimedia
Ted-Ed (October 20,2014). A different way to visualize rhythm - John Varney. Youtube - https://youtu.be/2UphAzryVpY