Rhythm generally means a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". It is the pattern of sounds, silences, and emphasis in a song. Rhythm is related to and distinguished from pulse, meter, and beats. It is the way that music is systematically divided into beats that repeat a specific number of times within a bar at a collectively understood speed or tempo. Rhythm is the element of music that creates a sense of movement and forward momentum and is often described as the “heartbeat” or “pulse” of a piece of music.
Key points about rhythm include:
-
Regular recurrence or pattern in time: Rhythm is a general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time that can apply to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or frequency of anything from microseconds to several seconds.
-
Grouping of beats: Rhythm may be defined as the way in which one or more unaccented beats are grouped in relation to an accented one.
-
Timing and pattern of sounds: The rhythm in music, by definition, is the timing and pattern of a collection of sounds.
-
Dictates when notes are played: A song’s rhythmic structure dictates when notes are played, for how long, and with what degree of emphasis.
-
Creates a sense of movement and forward momentum: Rhythm is the element of music that creates a sense of movement and forward momentum and is often described as the “heartbeat” or “pulse” of a piece of music.
