Rhythm is the dimension of music that organizes sound in time. It is the most primal element — present in heartbeat, breath, and footstep before any melody or harmony. In the Quadrivium, music itself is defined as “number in time,” and rhythm is that temporal foundation.
Topics
This section is growing. Future topics may include:
- Pulse and beat
- Meter and time signatures
- Syncopation and displacement
- Polyrhythm and cross-rhythm
- Groove and feel
- Clave and compás (tango rhythm)
- Rhythmic cycles in world music
Related
- Music Theory — Parent topic
- Harmony — Vertical dimension
- Melody — Horizontal dimension