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Rubato (rhythm)

A flexible approach to tempo in which some beats are slightly lengthened and others shortened for expressive effect.

Category
rhythm
Pronunciation
/rʊˈbɑːtəʊ/
Origin

Italian (rubare, to steal)

Length
207 words · 2 min read

About Rubato (rhythm)

Rubato (from the Italian rubare, to steal) is the art of borrowing time from one note and repaying it to another, creating expressive elasticity within a phrase without losing the overall sense of pulse. In its strictest historical sense, the melody stretches and compresses whilst the accompaniment maintains a steady beat — much as a jazz singer might lag behind or push ahead of the rhythm section.
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →