Music Glossary: rhythm

Voicings above vocal; avoid masking bass/kick; use rhythmic motifs. more

Part designs that leave space for lead and vocals; syncopation supports, never fights, the groove. more

Anticipations, tied rhythms, and rests to support singers/soloists. more

Kick and bass coordinate accents, length, and rests to define the groove foundation. more

Contour across sections via touch, muting, and density; crescendos by addition, not just volume. more

Andalusian art form combining cante, toque, and baile with complex compás. more

Open/closed/tight variations that signal dynamics and shape the perceived tempo and feel. more

Deciding when kick and bass hit together, alternate, or answer each other for clarity and drive. more

Note lengths mirroring natural speech rhythm for clarity and groove. more

Selecting complementary shakers, tambourines, claps to enhance feel without masking vocals. more

The shared rhythmic feel where parts interlock. Built from consistent subdivision, dynamics, and intent. more

Polymeter: different bar lengths align over time; polyrhythm: conflicting subdivisions over a shared bar. more

Intentional placement slightly ahead/behind the beat to shape energy; the band must agree on the pocket. more

Writing down clapped/spoken rhythms; practice with subdivisions, ties, syncopation, and mixed meters. more

Chord slashes with rhythmic stems guide comping patterns while leaving voicing choices to the player. more

Transcribing rhythm only—subdivisions, ties, syncopation, repeats. more

Rhythm slashes with cue notes or rhythmic notation above staves to indicate ensemble hits. more

Internalizing 8ths/16ths/tuplets so lines sit reliably against the click or band reference. more

Understanding triplet-based placement from light swing to hard shuffle; match within the ensemble. more

Rhythmic cycle system in Indian classical music structuring time and accents. more

Creating a tempo grid from a human take for later overdubs and editing while preserving feel. more

Any division of a beat into irregular subdivisions (e.g., triplet, quintuplet). more