ABSTRACT
The rhythm section is the foundation of most contemporary popular music productions. In more traditional ensembles (orchestra or band), rhythmic momentum is usually supplied through melodic counterpoint along with various harmonic accompaniment patterns heard in the strings and winds. The percussion section in such ensembles is usually less active, supplying more of a color with an occasional rhythmic, perpetual motion for reinforcement when desired. The marching band is perhaps the earliest example of the relationship changing significantly between the rhythm section and the winds (and strings). Here, the percussion section supplies a continuum of rhythm and support upon which the other melodic and harmonic instruments rely. This is also true of the jazz style where the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums, and guitar) supplies the rhythmic and harmonic foundation for the melodic instruments. It is usually moving in perpetual motion, generating a vibrant groove that becomes infectious for the listener to the point of wanting to dance. Popular music styles from the latter part of the twentieth century into the twenty-first can incorporate complex textures of expanded rhythm sections that demand an internal discipline from the players in order to avoid mayhem. Previously, orchestral composers controlled these actions through carefully scripted parts. In other cases, particularly with nonWestern styles (African as well as Latin styles from various places in the Caribbean and South America), there is an aural tradition handed down through the generations where a certain protocol is to be followed with regard to the performance of a rhythmic idea or style. Today, however, many rhythm section players create parts or embellish on rather simple guidelines that a composer or arranger may present. This is most notable in jazz, country, rock, folk, and most American-style popular music that depends substantially on a rhythm section as part of its musical texture.
