ABSTRACT
Music is a dynamic art that unfolds over time. Composers organize and shape different aspects of musical time, including the overall speed of the music, the way that beats cluster into recurring groups, and rhythmic patterns involving activity both on and between beats. Tempo refers to the speed of the music. The faster the tempo, the closer the beats are to one another in time. Terms such as Lento, Andante, and Allegro prescribe a narrow range of acceptable tempos, allowing performers some flexibility. Duration refers to the length, or value, of a note. Values can be divided into smaller values, and they can be summed to create larger values. Meter refers to the grouping of beats, typically into recurring patterns. Rhythm refers to the specific placement of musical events both on and between beats. Rhythms often involve short, repeated patterns. If meter is the underlying skeleton of musical time, rhythm is the flesh draped over the skeleton.
