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Most time signatures consist of two numerals, one stacked above the other: The lower numeral indicates the note value that the signature is counting. This number is always a power of 2 (unless the time signature is irrational), usually 2, 4 or 8, but less often 16 is also used, usually in Baroque music. 2 corresponds to the half note (minim), 4 to the quarter note (crotchet), 8 to the eighth ...
Clave (rhythm) The clave (/ ˈklɑːveɪ, kleɪv /; Spanish: [ˈklaβe]) [1] is a rhythmic pattern used as a tool for temporal organization in Brazilian and Cuban music. In Spanish, clave literally means key, clef, code, or keystone. It is present in a variety of genres such as Abakuá music, rumba, conga, son, mambo, salsa, songo, timba and ...
Joplin also employed in "Magnetic Rag" the classic "common time" 4/4 time signature instead of the more usual 2/4 time of rag tunes. Simultaneously, Joplin doubled all the note values, effectively making the unusual 4/4 time signature have no practical effect on the way the piece sounded or the way it was performed.
Marches can be written in any time signature, but the most common time signatures are 4 4, 2 2 (alla breve, although this may refer to 2 time of Johannes Brahms, or cut time), or 6 8. However, some modern marches are being written in 1 2 or 2 4 time. The modern march tempo is typically around 120 beats per minute.
Marches in 2 4 time typically are written for the performer as it is easier to read at faster tempos. Many European marches are written in 2 4, and almost all American galops as well. Galops are played at a very fast tempo, sounding as if there was one beat to the bar. 4 4 time marches are rare. However, some slow marches such as dirges use it.
Sometimes a piece is written with multiple time signatures simultaneously. For example, it might specify 4/4 2/4 3/4 5/4, meaning that the length of measures is irregular and can be 4, 2, 3 or 5 quarter-notes. The time signature of the first measure is always specified first, and the others are placed in increasing order of length. Usually, the ...
The top number in the time signature will be 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, etc. Compound metres are written with a time signature that shows the number of divisions of beats in each bar as opposed to the number of beats. For example, compound duple (two beats, each divided into three) is written as a time signature with a numerator of six, for example ...
In idealized form, the classic rag has the following structure: It is set in 2/4 time. It starts with a four-bar introduction. It continues with a pair of 16-bar themes, in the following sequence: An initial theme (or A strain). A repeat of the A strain. A second theme (or B strain). A repeat of the B strain. A restatement of the A strain.