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Unit 2 – Rhythm, Meter & Metric Organization
Mr. Jackson
AP Music Theory
Notating Rhythm
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Notating Rhythm
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Notating Rhythm
Introduction
Music is sound and silence in time.
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Western Music Notation shows how long one note lasts in relation to others.
Time Signatures specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value
constitutes one beat.
The TOP number
tells you how many beats
are in a measure
The BOTTOM
number
tells you which note gets one beat
Notating Rhythm
The Dot and the Tie
The Dot extends the value of a SINGLE note by one-half of its
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original value.
The Tie combines the durational values of two or more notes of the same pitch
using a curved line.
Metric Organization
Definitions
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Duration – The Length of time sound (or silence) occurs
Beat – A regular, recurring pulsation that divides music into units of time
Meter– The organization of beats into regular groups of TWO, THREE, and
FOUR (usually with strong and weak beats) and how the beat is subdivided
Subdivision– The division of the beat into two or three equal parts
Rhythm– Series of durations, often varying, of sound and silence
Tempo– The speed of the beat
Metric Organization
Meter
Duple – Two beats per measure
[ STRONG weak]
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TOP NUMBER of TIME SIGNATURE = 2 or 6
Triple– Three beats per measure
[ STRONG weak weak]
TOP NUMBER of TIME SIGNATURE = 3 or 9
Quadruple– Four beats per measure
[ STRONG weak LESS STRONG weak]
TOP NUMBER of TIME SIGNATURE = 4 or 12
Simple Meter– refers to the beat being divided equally into TWO parts
TOP NUMBER of TIME SIGNATURE = 2, 3, 4
Compound Meter– refers to the beat being divided equally into THREE parts
TOP NUMBER of TIME SIGNATURE = 6, 8, or 12
Metric Organization
Simple Meter
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Metric Organization
Compound Meter
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Metric Organization
Compound Meter
Compound or not Compound? That is the question…
To check: Divide the TOP NUMBER of the time signature by 3. If your answer
is a whole number greater than 1 – you are in a Compound Meter. Pretty
cool, huh?
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Metric Organization
Compound Meter
For Compound Meter– BE CAREFUL when defining the BEAT!
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For 6/8 – We usually consider each measure having 2 Beats – NOT 6 as many
people assume based on defining Time Signatures.
Meter
Syncopation
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Syncopation– Occurs when the emphasis or stress is in –between the beats or on a
normally weak beat.
Meter
Syncopation (Cont..)
Syncopation can also involve TIES!
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Meter
Triplets & Duplets
Triplet– Divides a regular duration into three
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* In “Simple Time” using Triplets -- You are kind of “borrowing” from a Compound
Feel!
Duplet– Divides a regular duration into three
* In “Compound Time” using Duples –
You are kind of “borrowing” from a
Simple Feel!
Meter
Downbeats & Upbeats
Downbeat– The first beat of the measure.
Anacrusis– Notes that precede the first beat.
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Metric Organization
Asymmetrical Meters
Asymmetrical – means NOT symmetrical or NOT equal.
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Asymmetrical Meters have beat units of UNEQUAL LENGTH.
 ** The most common asymmetrical meters have 5 or 7 as the top number!**
 In 5/8 – you could break it down a few different ways (3+2 or 2+3)
What about this one?
Meter
Hemiola
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Hemiola– (sometimes called CROSS RHYTHM) – is a metric device where the
rhythmic relation of three notes occurs in the time of two. It consists of super-
imposing two notes in the time of three (duplet), or three in the time of two (triplet).
Meter
Hemiola
Although we have 3 beats per measure – Schubert constantly uses TIES to
create 2 beats all over the place! What’s up with that?! 
Etc..
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