1. Introduction
Rhythm is the organization of melody and harmony inside time. It includes different elements such as : the meter, the pulse, the tempo
It depends on the following parameters :
- The melodic motion, small, large or repeated
- The note quality
- The resolution of dissonances or melodic notes
2. Rhythm and melody
The notes that must resolve create a rhythmic strentgh and are more active. The rhythmic value of such notes also depends on the approaching motion :
The « B » leading tone is shorter than the previous « C » note because both notes are very close to each other
Here, the same note is longer because it is approached by a larger interval
A melody including repeated notes creates a strong rhythm :
Natural Not natural
Often, the more a melody proceeds by short intervals and the closer are the values, and conversely :
Melody Avoid Better
3. Rhythm and harmony
Rhythm also depends on harmony. When a melodic note or a dissonance is placed inside a chord, it has less rhythmic strength than outside a chord :
When the note having to resolve is altered (not belonging to the chord), it creates more activity:
Altered note = D#
The rhythmic effect also depends on the harmonic frequency. When a melody is harmonized with 1 chord, it shows a loss of rhythm. When the same melody is harmonized by "section" ( 1 chord per note ), the rhythmic strength increases.
Not dynamic More rhythmic
The rhythmic consideration also depends on the quality of the harmonic interval. Consonances are more « passive » than dissonances (that must resolve) :
Passive 3rd & 6th / Active dim.7th
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