Lecture 3. Rhythm: Fundamentals

Listening to Music (MUSI 112)

In this lecture, Professor Wright explains the basic system of Western musical notation, and offers an interpretation of its advantages and disadvantages. He also discusses the fundamental principles of rhythm, elaborating upon such concepts as beat, meter, and discussing in some depth the nature of durational patterns in duple and triple meters. The students are taught to conduct basic patterns in these meters through musical examples drawn from Chuck Mangione, Cole Porter, REM, Chopin, and Ravel.

00:00 – Chapter 1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Musical Notation
14:41 – Chapter 2. Beats and Meters
23:09 – Chapter 3. Exercises Distinguishing Duple and Triple Meters
31:27 – Chapter 4. Conducting Basic Meter Patterns: Exercises with REM, Chopin, and Ravel

This course was recorded in Fall 2008.