Rhythm
The pattern of sounds and silences in time.
Category
fundamental
Pronunciation
RITH-um
Origin
Greek (rhythmos)
Length
127 words · 1 min read
About Rhythm
Rhythm is the temporal organisation of music — the arrangement of note durations, rests, accents, and groupings that creates a sense of motion. It operates at multiple levels: the pulse (steady beat), metre (grouping of beats), and surface rhythm (the specific pattern of long and short notes).
More fundamental terms
Tempo
View all fundamentalterms →The speed at which a piece of music is performed.
Aural TrainingThe development of musical listening skills including interval recognition and melodic dictation
PitchThe perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by its frequency.
KeyThe tonal centre that organises a piece of music around a specific note and scale.
HarmonyThe simultaneous combination of pitches to produce chords and chord progressions.
Synonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →