1. Music’s Temporal Dimension:
Pulse, Meter, Rhythm & Tempo

2. I. Preliminaries: Music Unfolds in Time
A. ephemeral

4. I. Preliminaries: Music Unfolds in Time
A. ephemeral
shape of a musical work not given
“all at once”

6. I. Preliminaries: Music Unfolds in Time
A. ephemeral
shape of a musical work not
perceptible “all at once”
∴ Active listening involves memory & prediction
Musical time ≠ clock time

8. I. Preliminaries: Music Unfolds in Time
A. ephemeral
shape of a musical work not given
“all at once”
musical time ≠ real time or clock time

9. Pulse or Beat
(Textbook) Pulse or Beat = When we listen to music, we sense an underlying series of beats.
B. Pulse or Beat = aural sense, based on many factors, that music is made up of equal time units

11. Pulse or Beat
(Textbook) Pulse or Beat = When we listen to music, we sense an underlying series of beats.
B. Beat = aural sense, based on many factors, that music is made up of equal time units
III. Meter
A. Meter= grouping of pulses into
larger units (usually 2, 3, 4, or 6)
B. metrical groupings = bars or measures
C. meters classified duple, triple, quadruple, sextuple
D. irregular (mixed) meters possible (3+3+2)
E. temporary disruptions in meter common

12. Phrase I Phrase II
Triple
Duple
Triple

13. IV. Rhythm A. Loose or general meaning B. Specific meaning
=everything having to do with music’s temporal aspect
B. Specific meaning
=DURATION; i.e., arrangement of note lengths

15. IV. Rhythm Rhythm Pulse Meter A. Loose or general meaning
=everything having to do with music’s temporal aspect
B. Specific meaning
=DURATION; i.e., arrangement of note lengths
C. Music’s temporal elements are hierarchical
Rhythm
Pulse
Meter

16. IV. Rhythm (cont.) V. Tempo D. Rhythmic motive
Rhythmic idea (durations) that acquires
structural significance
V. Tempo
A. = SPEED (of pulses)

17. Which Statement is most accurate?
The speed of the pulses increased.
The tempo increased (sped up).
The rhythmic activity increased.
The meter increased.

18. VI. Two Special Cases A. Compound Meter (not really meter) B. Rubato
Pulses subdivided into 3’s rather than 2’s
B. Rubato
It., “robbed time”
Speeding or slowing of pulses for expressive
effect
(not notated in music; added by performers)

19. Pulse Meter
Rhythm Rubato
Tempo Compound Meter
Rhythmic Motives