Pulse & Meter

The concept and experience of a steady, repeating Pulse, akin to your heartbeat, is the most basic dimension of musical time…

The second dimension, Meter, is the concept and experience of organizing pulses into a larger pattern where each pulse is different from the others.  

Pulse

First, listen to a steady drumbeat of undifferentiated pulses (Let’s call this ONE-ness)…

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Larger Groupings of Pulses

Now let’s play play these pulses by organizing them in groups and by emphasizing the first pulse in each group…

2-ness…

3-ness…

4-ness…

5-ness…

6-ness…

In each case, notice how the difference in emphasis organizes our sense place in the music and establishes certain expectations of what is to come.

X-ness

We can continue with 7-ness, 8-ness, 9-ness, and so on.

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More Complex Groupings of Pulses

We can also combine grouping by nesting them inside each other. For example, we could play a 3-ness inside a 2-ness to make a more complex SIX-ness, characteristic of a Tarantella…

We can also combine groupings by linking them together. For example, we could link a 3-ness with a 2-ness to make an interesting 5-ness., as in this famous example…

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Takeaways

Meter is the concept and experience of sequences of pulses that are organized in a way that creates a more complex framework upon which sounds can be placed in time.

Think of each kind of meter as a kind of dance.

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learn more… Downbeats & Upbeats