LESSON 3:

RHYTHM AND
TIMBRE
WHAT IS RHYTHM?
• RHYTHM IS THE FLOW OF MUSIC THROUGH TIME.
• G E N E R A L LY R E F E R S T O T H E A S P E C T O F T I M E I N
MUSIC.
• IT DETERMINES HOW LONG OR SHORT THE PITCH
WILL SOUND.

IT HAS SEVERAL INTERRELATED ASPECTS:

• BEAT
• METER
• ACCENT AND SYNCOPATION
• TEMPO
A. BEAT
• Is a regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time. When you clap your hands or tap your foot to the music, you
are responding to its beat.
B. METER
• Is the organization of beats into regular groups. A group containing a fixed number is called a MEASURE.
C. ACCENT AND SYNCOPATION
• An important aspect of rhythm is the way individual notes are stressed and how they get special emphasis. A note is emphasized most
obviously by being played louder than the notes around it that is by receiving a dynamic accent.
• When an accented note comes where we normally would not expect one, the effect is known as syncopation.
D. TEMPO
• Is the speed of the beat, the basic pace of the music. A fast tempo is associated with a feeling of energy, drive, and excitement. A slow
tempo often contributes to a solemn, lyrical, or calm mood.
• Largo – very slow, broad
• Grave – very slow, solemn
• Adagio – slow
• Andante – moderately slow, a walking pace
• Moderato – moderate
• Allegretto – moderately fast
• Allegro – fast
• Vivace – lively
• Presto – very fast
• Prestissimo – as fast as possible
MELODY
IS A SERIES OF SINGLE TONES WHICH ADD UP TO A
RECOGNIZABLE WHOLE. A MELODY BEGINS, MOVES, AND
E N D S ; I T H A S D I R E C T I O N , S H A P E , A N D C O N T I N U I T Y.

HARMONY
R E F E R S T O T H E WAY C H O R D S A R E C O N S T R U C T E D A N D H O W
T H E Y F O L L O W E A C H O T H E R . A C H O R D I S A C O M B I N AT I O N
O F T H R E E O R M O R E TO N E S S O U N D E D AT O N C E .

KEY
KEY OR TONALITY REFERS TO THE PRESENCE OF
A CENTRAL NOTE, SCALE AND CHORD WITHIN A
PIECE.
TIMBRE
THE UNIQUE QUALITY OR QUALITIES INHERENT
I N S O U N D S T H AT A L L O W U S T O D I S T I N G U I S H
BETWEEN THEM

• TIMBER (TAMBOUR – As in tambourine) has also been

referred to as the tone coloring of an instrument.
• The distinct tone quality of an instrument can be represented
by the color that matches the sound
• COLOR – is the result of the difference in timbre or quality
of tone in a variety of voices and instruments.
TEXTURE
• Refers to the number of tones one is expected to apprehend simultaneously.
• Texture (layer)
a) Polyphonic texture: simultaneous performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest.
b) Homophonic texture: when we hear one main melody accompanied by chords
c) Monophonic texture: when we hear one main melody without accompaniment

FORM
• Form in music is the organization of musical elements in time. In a musical composition, pitch,
tone, color, dynamics, rhythm, melody, and texture interact to produce a sense of shape and
structure.
THANK YOU!