The document discusses the basic elements of music including rhythm, meter, note durations, rests, time signatures, and conducting patterns. It explains that music has a steady beat that notes are organized around in rhythmic patterns defined by measures separated by bar lines. Notes have standardized durations like quarter notes, half notes, and so on that indicate how long they last relative to the beat. Time signatures use a fraction to specify how many beats are in each measure and the note value that represents one beat. Simple meters divide each beat into two parts while compound meters divide each beat into three parts. Conductors use hand patterns to visually convey the meter to musicians.

1. Basic Elements of
Music
Rhythm and Meter

2. Steady Beat
Steady beat – the pulse of music.
Tap to the steady beat in the following excerpts.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/lara-bach/
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/streicher-klaviertrios/
You will notice that some notes are equal to the steady beat,
some are longer, and some are shorter.

3. Durations of Notes
Quarter Note – q lasts for one steady beat
Eighth Note – e two eighth notes are equal to one steady beat
Sixteenth Note – xfour sixteenth notes are equal to one
steady beat
Half Note – h lasts for two steady beats
Whole Note – w four steady beats long
http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/11

4. Division
Levels
Beat Level
Multiple
Levels
Rhythmical exercise: tap your foot and clap your hands twice faster than a foot tap.
You will clap two eighth notes (ee) per one quarter (q) foot tap.
Experiment with various note durations.
1 2 3 4
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4

5. Quarter Rest lasts for one steady beat
Eighth Rest two eighth rests equal to one steady beat
Sixteenth Rest four sixteenth rests equal to one steady beat
Half Rest lasts for two steady beats
Whole Rest lasts for four steady beats
Durations of Rests
Rests identify measured segments of silence in music.

6. Rhythm
Rhythm—a pattern of durations of notes synchronized with the steady
beat.
Clap the following examples:
q q q q
iq q iq q
h q q

7. Meter
Arrangement of rhythms in a repetitive pattern of strong and
weak beats.
Meters can be classified by counting the number of beats from
one strong beat to the next.

8. Simple Meters
Duple—strong-weak.
q q
Triple—strong-weak-weak.
q q q
Quadruple—strong-weak- weak-weak
q q q q

9. Measure
Measure—a segment of time defined by a given number of
beats.
Bar lines—vertical lines that separate measures.
The first beat in each measure is always strong.
q q q q q q
Example above can be represented by 2/4 time signature, in
which 2 means that there are two beats in each measure and
4 stands for the value of one beat - 1/4 or a quarter note.
Time signature can be considered as a fraction.

10. Clap the following excerpts:
q q h iiiq
q q q iq q iq
q q h q q q iq
2
4
3
4
4
4

11. Clap the following. What are the time signatures?
q q h iiiq jjjq q
q q q iq q iq h q
q q h q q q iq w

12. Bar Lines

13. Time Signatures
3 – three steady beats in each
measure
8 – each beat is equal to an e

14. Common Time Signatures
(Meters)
• Top numeral indicates how many
beats are in each measure.
• Lower numeral indicates the note
value that represents one beat.

15. Simple Meters
Simple meters – each beat is divided into halves.
• 2/4, 2/2, 4/4, 4/8, 3/4
Listen to the 1st Movement of Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony tapping to the
steady beat. The beat can easily be divided onto two eighth notes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXctarOxRz8

16. Compound Meters
Compound meters – each beat is divided into thirds.
• 6/8, 6/4, 9/8, 12/8
Listen to the final movement of Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto” and tap to its
slow steady beat.
Each beat can easily be split onto three equal portions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zs6_vsU9cg

17. Conducting
Conductors use hand patterns to communicate meters (time
signatures).
This helps musicians to follow and play together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Pk-33R2HM

18. Duple Meter
2/4, 2/2, or fast
6/8 time

19. Triple Meter
3/4 or 3/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjj84gcuMEw
R. Wagner, Tannhauser Overture

20. Quadruple Meter
4/4, 4/2, or 4/8
Does Gustavo Dudamel (the conductor) always draw the 4/4 pattern?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo1KHr-b-CA

21. 6/8 Time Signature, Slow

22. Syncopation
A disruption of the regular flow of rhythm, a replacement of
stresses to where they would not occur.
Please study the following.
https://www.teoria.com/reference/s/syncopation.php?l=S

23. Listening Activity
Listen to and conduct to the samples on this page.
http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Listening/meters/meters.ht
ml

24. Required Readings
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature
• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons - read Note
Duration and Measures and Time Signature in the
Basics area
• http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/15