Aspects of Music

Rhythm The aspect of music concerned with the organization of time. Primarily the durations of the sounds and silences that make up music.

Does music need to have both sound and silence?

Is there ever a time when total silence happens? What would sound with no silence sound like?

Beat The heartbeat or pulse of a musical composition. Always steady and even The heartbeat or pulse of a musical composition. Always steady and even

What does something steady sound like? What does even mean?

Can you find the beat in these examples? Listen for the pulse or heartbeat. Good Day Sunshine - The Beatles Yellow Submarine - The Beatles

Tempo The rate of speed that the beat of any music repeats. Measured in beats per minute. The rate of speed that the beat of any music repeats. Measured in beats per minute.

Measure A group of beats or pulses marked off in written music by barlines.

Time Signature Found at the beginning of any written music. It is the key to counting rhythm.

A time signature has two numbers, like a fraction. The top number tells you how many beats take place in one measure. The bottom number tells you what kind of note gets one beat. 4 4

Note (value) A symbol used to represent how long or short a sound is. Whole note Half note Quarter note Eighth note Sixteenth note

Rest (value) A symbol used to represent how long or short a silence is. Whole rest Half rest Quarter rest Eighth rest Sixteenth rest