Chapter 2: Intermediates
Rhythm and Meter

Objective: To learn how to play with rhythmic facility using subdivisions of the meter

There are very distinct differences between Rhythm and Meter and we need to learn how to apply both. Meter corresponds to the measurements of time and rhythm is based on time that is determined by character, purpose, speed and intensity. Meter provides us with an outline of the beats, accents and rests with no conception of harmony or melody. It is derived from divisions of time into very distinctly related intervals (hours, weeks, seconds, etc). Rhythm on the other hand weaves freely around the divisions of meter either reinforcing or opposing those divisions of time. How these two relate and interact with each other form one of the most important ways that we create music.

If we look at the bar lines in Exercise #7-1 we can see and hear from playing the musical phrase that they serve the purpose of letting us know the metric order of the notes since it is marking the place of the metric accent which in this case is always just after the bar line. Now look at and play Exercise #7-2 and notice that when we play the accents, both the 3/4 measures and the 4/4 measures should sound the same. There are times when we will be reading music in 4/4 but improvising the feeling from the 3/4 example to give the impression that the meter has changed by actually altering the rhythm with accents on the notes. This can also be done by multiplying (a quarter note times 2 equals a half note) or dividing (a quarter note divided by 2 equals two eighth notes) the meter so that we can play against the time without disrupting the flow of the music. Have the students play the bass pattern in Example #7-3 and see if they can recognize and name the two different meters that are taking place.

Before I said that we can give the impression that the meter has changed by altering the rhythm with different accents on the notes. We were using two methods.........either we used Multiplication or Division. This is how we construct what we will call Compound Measures. That is when we double or triple certain metric units we can say that we multiplied but when we divide them into two or three parts we say that we divided.

At this point I would suggest that you get some manuscript paper and write a musical phrase that uses subdivisions of the meter. Afterwards you should play it to confirm that you understood this lesson. Quite often we will learn something but not really understand it until we apply it to something that is real!!

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