Duration, Rhythm, & Meter
This lesson is part of the Fundamentals of Sound & Music module. |
Objectives[edit]
- Students will understand the concept of rhythm and how it is present in ambient sound, speech and music.
- Students will understand the concept of beat and meter.
- Student will become familiar with IOIs, ISIs.
- Student will be able to identify isochronous rhythmic layers in aural or written music and their interrelations: subdivision, beat, measure
- Student will understand the relationship between movement and beat in isochronous meters.
- Student will be able distinguish between metrical and phenomenal accents.
- Student will understand the difference of accent patterns for duple, triple, and quadruple meters.
- Student will understand the difference between simple/compound and complex metrical structures.
Resources[edit]
Readings[edit]
- S. Acevedo. Meter Basics Handout
- "Beat & Tempo." (Music Crash Courses)
- R. Hutchinson. "Meter." (Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom).
- F. Tobey. "Standard and Less Common Rhythms." (A Feeling for Harmony).
- "Grouping Beats." (Music Crash Courses)
- "Pitch Interactions with Beat and Meter." (Music Crash Courses)
Listening or Videos
- Metrical Examples Playlist (youtube)
Class Activities[edit]
- Discussion and definition of rhythm, beat, and meter.
- Aural analysis of rhythm, beat and meter in different types of music.
- Conducting of musical excerpts.
- Marching and dancing demonstrations for various meter types (see playlist above).
- Compare aural/felt metrical layers to notated scores.
Assignments[edit]
- Rhythmic analysis of different aural examples
- Meter scavenger hunt
Notes[edit]
- This section can be combined with meter/rhythm notation or can ideally be taught as a separate component that focuses on felt rhythm/meter. The latter approach allows students to get a "feel" for the beat, subdivision, and grouping prior to labeling with time signatures.