Rhythm, Part 2: Representing Time

Hello,

In this video, we’re going to look at how time is represented using the symbols of music notation. Let’s begin!

In a previous lesson, we learned that music is sound measured in time, and that rhythm makes up a large part
of the “time” element in music. We also learned that at the bottom of it all is pulse - that steady recurring
stimulus on top of which all music flows. In notating time, pulses can be represented using

whole notes: w w w w w w w w
half notes: h h h h h h h h
quarter notes: q q q q q q q q

eighth notes: e e e e e e e e

sixteenth notes: x x x x x x x x
or any other note value, depending on the context of the music.

Just like how an individual letter of the alphabet doesn’t mean anything until it is combined with other letters in
order to form words, what a musical symbol means is derived from how it relates to the other symbols around
it. With the symbols for rhythmic notation, this relationship is a proportional one. Each of the symbols represents
a length of sound in proportion to each other. Specifically, this is a 1:2 ratio - one whole note represents an
amount of time equal to that which will be taken up by two half notes; one half note to that of two quarter
notes; one quarter note to two eighth notes, etc. Thus, in reading rhythmic notation, our first questions are
always:
1. “What meter are we in?”; and
2. “What symbol represents the pulse?”
3. “How fast does the pulse go?”

Time Signatures

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The first two of these questions are answered by a time signature – a symbol written at the beginning of the
music (and at other appropriate places) that tells us how many pulses there are in a measure, and which type

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of note represents the pulse. For example:

= number of pulses there are in a measure. In this case, 4 pulses, thus, quadruple meter.

= the type of note that represents the pulse. In this case, a quarter note.

3
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If it were, say, , there would be three pulses (triple meter) and a half note would represent the pulse.

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The upper number can be ANY whole number, like 2, or 1 or 17, or 75 if you want it to be. Just remember
that the simple meters, are only 2, 3, and 4. On the other hand, the lower number is limited to the types of
notes we can derive from the 1:2 relationship we talked about earlier. Thus, if a whole note represents the
pulse, the lower number would be 1; if a half note, 2; if a quarter note, 4; if an eighth note, 8; if a 16th note, 16;
if a 32nd note, 32; etc.

The passage on the screen is written in 2/4. Thus, there are two pulses in a measure and a quarter note
represents the pulse. Applying the Takadimi syllables, we would speak each quarter note as TA. Therefore,

If we divide some of the pulses, there would be eighth notes in the passage, and we would speak them as TADI.

If we further divide some of the eighth notes, there would be 16th notes in the passage, and it would go like
this:

If we use the other patterns, we would have:

and

As an exercise, pause this video and speak the following patterns:

1.

2.
 3.

Tempo
We mentioned earlier that, in reading rhythmic notation, our first questions are always:
1. “What meter are we in?”; and
2. “What symbol represents the pulse?”
3. “How fast does the pulse go?”

As the first two are answered by the time signature, the third is answered by a tempo marking. This could take
the form of a descriptive word or a metronome mark written on top of the staff at the beginning of the music
(or at other appropriate places).

The words used to indicate tempo (or the speed of the pulse) are traditionally in Italian, like, allegro, meaning
“fast”, or andante, meaning, “at a walking pace”. However, they can also be written in any other language. In
essence, the descriptive words indicate only a sense of the tempo, it does not give specific speeds. When we
see the word andante, for example, we understand that the music would go at a walking pace; but while we
generally understand it as slower than allegro, we don’t really know how fast (or slow) “a walking pace” is as
some people walk faster (or slower) than others. In addition to this, there are even cases where they don’t
literally indicate the speed of the music, but rather describe its mood.

Metronome markings, on the other hand, are more specific in terms of speed. They are typically presented as
the equation:

[note value] = [number of occurrences per minute]

and look like this:

q = 60

This tells us that the music should go at the rate of 60 quarter notes per minute. Given that there are 60
seconds in a minute, we understand, therefore, that the sound of a quarter note lasts for one second in this
case.

If it were q = 120, each quarter note would last for only half a second.

If it were e = 180, three eight notes would fit in the space of a second.

Together, the descriptive word and the metronome mark gives us a clearer picture with regard the speed and
mood of the music. Sometimes, however, neither the descriptive word nor the metronome mark is provided.
In these cases, you’ll have to look elsewhere for clues. For example, you can examine the lyrics, if there are any;
you can also look into the typical style of the composer, or the performance practice of the period when the
piece was created.
The representation of Time

With the pulse note = 60, speak this pattern:

| ta tadi tadi ta |

Now, try speaking this one where the pulse note is a quarter note:

q = 60

How about this one where the pulse note is an eighth note:

e = 60

This one, where the pulse note is a half note:

h = 60

And this, where the pulse note is a whole note:

w = 60

Did you notice that while the representation has changed several times, the actual sound of the pattern remained
exactly the same? That’s because the only thing that changed here is the type of note that represents the pulse.
The speed of the pulse did not change when the symbol representing it did.

In these examples, the note value indicated in the metronome mark and the pulse note are the same. While
this is true in most cases, there are cases where the note value indicated in the metronome mark and the pulse
note in the music would not be the same. For example:
 q = 60

In this example, the pulse note is a half note but the metronome indicates that there are 60 quarter notes to a
minute. Thus, the resulting music would go slower than the similar passage we saw earlier. Another way to
write this metronome mark is as h = 30.

While it can seem rather confusing that the same symbols can mean a different thing in a different context, it
affords musicians a flexibility that allows them to write whatever they hear in their heads. It also allows them a
way to present rather complex musical ideas more clearly. While this is especially useful in music intended for
educational purposes, it also helps in the performance of all other music. If the musicians reading the score are
not struggling with the notation, they will be able to communicate the music better in their performance.

As a final exercise, go back to the patterns you made in our “Introducing Takadimi” video. Translate these into
musical notation. Make two versions of each pattern, use a different pulse note for each version.

In the next video we will be looking at writing and speaking longer musical sounds.

I hope you have found this video helpful.

Thanks for watching!