what is syncopation in music

Syncopation is a rhythmical structure in music that avoids the natural flow of the poles of a piece of music. It is often described as being off-beat. The time signature of a piece of music gives an indication of a regular pattern of strong and weak beats. A syncopated rhythm goes against this pattern by putting the accent on weak beats. Syncopation can occur in various ways, such as when a note starts off-beat and hangs over to the next off-beat. It can also occur when a strong harmony is simultaneous with a weak beat. Syncopation is used in many musical styles, especially dance music. According to music producer Rick Snoman, "All dance music makes use of syncopation, and its often a vital element that helps tie the whole track together".