Rhythm+&+Note+Values



=The rhythm is the beat. It is the most important element in music. It drives the music forward. It is the gasoline of music. Rhythms can be simple or complicated.=

= **ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY** = =[|Meter] is a recurring pattern of stresses or [|accents] that provide the pulse or [|beat] of music. [|Meter] is notated at the beginning of a [|composition] with a [|time signature]. [|Time signatures] are always notated with two numbers, one on top of the other, much like a fraction in math. The top number denotes the number of [|beats] (or number of pulses) in each [|measure]. The bottom number denotes the [|note] value that receives the [|beat]. The [|note] values that can receive [|beats] include [|double whole note], [|whole note] **(1)**, [|half note] **(2)**, [|quarter note] **(4)**, [|eighth note] **(8)**, [|sixteenth note] **(16)**, [|thirty-second note] **(32)**, [|sixty-fourth note] **(64)**, and [|one hundred and twenty-eighth note] **(128)**.= An example of 4/4 [|meter] means that there are four (4) [|beats] in each [|measure] and the [|quarter note] **(4)** receives the [|beat]. Thus, there are four [|quarter notes] in each [|measure] or a strong [|accent] every four [|quarter notes].The table below shows an explanation of several common [|meters] and their notations.

Two-four [|time] || || There are 2 [|beats] per [|measure] (top number) and the [|quarter note] (bottom number) gets one [|beat]. || Two [|quarter notes] per [|measure] || Three-four [|time] || || There are 3 [|beats] per [|measure] (top number) and the [|quarter note] (bottom number) gets one [|beat]. || Three [|quarter notes] per [|measure] || Four-four [|time] || || There are 4 [|beats] per [|measure] (top number) and the [|quarter note] (bottom number) gets one [|beat]. || Four [|quarter notes] per [|measure] || Five-four [|time] || || There are 5 [|beats] per [|measure] (top number) and the [|quarter note] (bottom number) gets one [|beat]. || Five [|quarter notes] per [|measure] || Six-eight [|time] || || There are 6 [|beats] per [|measure] (top number) and the [|eighth note] (bottom number) gets one [|beat]. || Six [|eighth notes] per [|measure] ||
 * **Name** || **Notation** || **Meaning** || **Rhythmic Notation** ||
 * Two-four [|meter] or
 * Three-four [|meter] or
 * Four-four [|meter] or
 * Five-four [|meter] or
 * Six-eight [|meter] or

=CLICK THE LINKS TO SEE THE VALUE OF THE NOTES IN 4/4 AND 6/8 METER! = = =