Music Theory Chapter 1

Definitions

100

rhythm

a general term used to refer to the time aspect of music, as contrasted with the pitch aspect

200

Beat

Basic pulse of a musical passage

300

Tempo

Rate at which a beat occurs

400

Meter

Pattern of strong and weak beats that underlies the rhythmic activity of a musical passage

500

Measures/Bar Line

grouping of beats ending with a bar line/marking that indicates the end of a measure, depicted by a vertical line through the staff

Examples

100

2/4, 2/2, 2/8, 6/8, 6/4, 6/16

Duple Time

200

3/4, 3/2, 3/8, 9/8, 9/4, 9/16

Triple Time

300

4/4, 4/2, 4/8, 12/8, 12/4, 12/16

Quadruple Time

400

Simple Time

Simplified Time Signature (2,3,4 on top)

500

Compound Time

Subdivided/Time Signature can be reduced (6,9,12 on top)

Durations

100

Whole Note/Rest

4

200

Half Note/Rest

2

300

Quarter Note/Rest

1

400

Eighth Note/Rest

1/2

500

Sixteenth Note/Rest

1/4