Syncopation: Feel the Beat
Section 1 Learn the Syncopated Blues Rhythm
Experience
the Rhythm
- As you listen to the syncopated
blues rhythm, clap the rhythm using the notation provided below.
- In the first 18 seconds of the audio file, the rhythm
is played at a slow speed. Refer to the notation above and see how the
second note (above the red arrow) of the syncopated blues rhythm adds
tension to the pattern. Because it is the only note that is played between
the beats, it is the most obviously syncopated note of the rhythm.
- The last two notes of the two-bar pattern (above
the green arrows) create a satisfying ending to the rhythm by landing
solidly on beats 2 and 3 in the second bar.
- This pattern of tension and resolution is a classic
feature in the music of such blues artists as John Lee Hooker, Son House,
and Leadbelly.
Respond to Tempo
- Tempo is the pace with which music moves. That pace
is based on the speed of the underlying beat.
- In the same way that syncopation creates musical
surprises by interrupting the steady beat, changes in tempo introduce
variety and interest in music.
- Think about the way you might respond to music that
is played too slowly or music that is played too quickly. For example,
are you bored if the music seems too slow? Do you lose interest in music
that is played too fast? How important is the balance between fast and
slow tempo in a piece of music?
- On your worksheet, write a response to Section 1.
Now continue to Section
2.
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