Notes on important Concepts in the understanding and evaluation of Music with a focus on Rhythm Theory
What follows is a list of notes and words representing concepts relevant to music, rhythm, and rhythm theory. The list in not comprehensive and there are a number of places where an element falls into more than one category or has internal and external components. This is merely part of a map. These concepts can be used as filters through which we can have a greater understanding of music. They, of course, are not the territory.
Music: I (internal individual experience) (what it feels like)
experience of playing/composing
expression
creativity
familiarity with the tools/instruments and material
consciousness development
We (internal collective experience) (what it communicates)
co-creators
audience
shared experience
communication
cultural familiarity
consciousness development
It (external) (what can be measure, what it sounds like)
technique
articulation
projection
precision
material
frequency distribution
instrumentation
structure
acoustics
volume
Rhythm is one of the 3 fundamentals of music along with melody and harmony.
Rhythm is what enables music to be experienced in time
Fundamental components
Structure Vs. Content (It/external )
Structure:
tempo
meter (pulses before structural repetition)
pulse subdivision
pulse subdivision microtiming (swing for example)
Content (material played)
density
distribution of notes and rests/silence
levels of syncopation
duration
gravity/suspension
degree/quality
level (is it tiered?)
frequency/quantity in time
pillars
degree/quality
level (is it tiered?)
frequency/quantity in time
symmetry
phrasing
syncopation (and degree of syncopation)
instrumental reinforcement vs counterpoint
dynamics
instrumentation
voicing
texture
tuning
pitch range
dynamic range
Expression/Communication (I/We/internal)
energy/intensity
sincerity/feel
creativity/inspiration
coherency/integrity
focus
cultural familiarity
sensitivity to tension/resolution