Measure (musical theory)

Characteristics of measurements

The main features of measurements are the location of the “key period”, the unit of time, the structure of times and the many times of measurement. These three last characteristics are indicated in the Chiffrage of measurement.

Key period

The traditional expressions “ key period ” and “ weak time ” should not be taken literally. Indeed, it would be more exact to say than it is simply the first pulsation - i.e., the attack of the first time - which is accentuated than the others, and than this one given birth to measurement, just like the pulsation of the Tempo gives birth to the time, or, like the under-pulsation gives birth to the part of time.

the qualifiers extremely and weak - concerning times, or better, various pulsations - are disputed rightly by many theorists. Indeed, some instruments such as the organ, are unable to produce a difference of intensity over certain times. However, such instruments allow us well to feel the key periods of such or such piece. Therefore, of intensity, what is question is it is not a question? It seems that first of all, the listener perceives the general structure of the musical sentences and their sequences, which very often obey the rules of the phrased and the breadth . This breadth indicates to the imbricating himself listener the various periodic movements one in another, and starts at his place the conscience of an alternation of differently accentuated times. One can thus say that the key period of a measurement is not necessarily not produced by the interprets - by an adequate musical gesture -, but rather than it is felt by the receptive listener with the organization of the musical speech. Let us add to finish on this point, that the melody parameters and harmonic also take part them in this perception. At all events, for lack of more adequate terminology, we will preserve in this article traditional names of key period and weak time .

It can arrive moreover that the opposition weak key period/time does not correspond to the theory. For example, the rate/rhythm of a récitatif is relatively free: it must indeed follow that of the language; consequently, its measurement (traditionally noted into 4/4), exists only on paper, materialized by the bar lines which constitute a graphic artifice taking part in the clearness of the partition.

the bar lines which on the partition materialize various measurements, make it possible to locate the key period: this one is indeed immediately on the right each bar, i.e. at the beginning of each measurement.

a measured rate/rhythm necessarily does not start over a key period, therefore, over the first time of a measurement: it can indeed start over a weak time, or, on part of time: in this case, one will speak about Anacrouse.

Structure of times of measurement

Measurements whose times are binary (i.e., represented by a simple value ) are called simple measurements ; measurements whose times are ternary (i.e., represented by a pointed value , or, a made up ) are called made up measurements .

It would be righter to say measurements to simple tenses or measurements at binary times ; and measurements at made up times or measurements at ternary times , but the use devoted these two expressions “ simple measurements ” and “ made up measurements ”.

Many times of measurement

According to the number of times included in measurement, one can distinguish the following types.

Measure at a time

The measurement at a time is a measurement which contains only a key period.

is measurement at a time really a measurement? It is known that the gasoline even measurement is the alternation of key periods and weak times. However, measurement at a time is unaware of this alternation since it contains only equal times (in its case, time merges with measurement!). One can thus say that measurement at a time is well a measurement on the partition because of the presence of the bar lines, but that at the same time, it is not one, from the point of view of rhythmic perception. It is thus makes generally only one simple graphic reference mark of it.

Duple time

The duple time is a measurement which contains a key period followed by a weak time.

Three-four time

The three-four time , which contains a key period followed by two weak times.

Four-four time

The four-four time is in theory a measurement which contains a key period followed by three weak times.

The consequence of this principle is that the key period of a four-four time repeats all theoretically the four time ( extremely /faible/faible/faible). However in practice, this one repeats all the two time, as if they were “two consecutive duple times”. There thus exists a contradiction between the theory ( extremely /faible/faible/faible) and the practice ( extremely /faible/ extremely /faible): in other words, is the third time of a four-four time strong or weak? There is no absolute answer, but the musicians generally agree to say that this third time is fairly strong , so as to grant the theory to the practice.

In the same way, measurements at five times or more, are in fact in practice only combinations of measurements to two or three times. For example, measurement at five times can be included/understood like a measurement 3+2 or 2+3; measurement at six times, like a measurement 2+2+2 or 3+3; measurement at seven times, like a measurement 2+2+3, either, 2+3+2, or 3+2+2, etc

Measure at five times

The measurement at five times is in theory a measurement which contains a key period followed by four weak times, etc

Asymmetrical measurements

One names asymmetrical measurement any measurement which cannot be described as binary or ternary . It is the case of measurements with five or seven times (these last are frequent in the Balkan music for example), or even of measurements made up of incomplete times: three times measurements and half (three black and an eighth note), four times and half (four black and an eighth note) etc

Realization practices measurements

In practice, to carry out a measurement, it is to carry out its beaten , to beat measurement, meaning to mark by a movement of the arm, the order and the duration of times of a given piece.

Whatever the number of times of measurement, beaten obeys the same principles: the first time, to the bottom - according to a vertical plan -, last time, to the top - according to a vertical plan -, times intermediate - 2nd of a three-four time, 2nd and 3rd of a four-four time, etc - on the side - according to a horizontal plane.

But, the majority of the instruments request the two hands, and so do not allow to beat measurement during the execution of a piece. Indeed, only the Leader, the Singer or all Musician in the train of solfier, materially has the possibility of beating measurement.

the practical realization of measurement must thus be done in two phases: first of all, it must be actually beaten to support the deciphering of the musical text, then it must be integrated into the execution thanks to the driving imagination of the musician , without this last not needing to materialize the measurement by a gesture other than its musical gesture. This realization raises sometimes some practical difficulties and calls on the occasion some particular remarks.

Regrouping and decomposition of measurement

The theory concerning the traditional figuring of measurement always does not coincide with the musical practice. In the event of Tempo too fast or too slow, indeed, it is often preferable to count measurements in a different way.

When the tempo is very fast , it becomes difficult to count the time measurement. For better controlling the reading, a current practice consists to gather times per periods of two or three. Thus a duple time could be regarded as a measurement at a binary time, a three-four time, like a measurement with a ternary time, a four-four time, like a duple time binary, etc

a particular case is that of measurements to odd number of binary times (5, 7…), which when the tempo is fast, becomes irregular measurements. Thus, a measurement with 5/4 (3+2) will be played like an irregular measurement at two times (a ternary time followed by a binary time). Thus in the Love Manual Wizard of of Falla, one finds a three-four time irregular in the form of one 7/8 (3+2+2). There exist all kinds of irregular measurements - 5/4, 5/8, 7/4, 7/8, 8/8, 9/8 (there exists also one 9/8 ternary), 10/8, 11/8… One finds even measurements with added-value - for example, one 2 ½ /4 which corresponds to a measurement with 2/4 to which one adds an eighth note.

On the contrary, when the tempo is very slow , the attack of the sounds is likely to lose its precision. In this case, the current practice consists in carrying out the opposite operation, i.e., to break up each time . Thus binary times could be regarded as duple times, and times ternary, like three-four times.

For example, a broken up measurement with 3/4 is regarded as a measurement at six times (2+2+2). If the passage were not directly written in the form of three duple times, it is quite simply to indicate a lightening in the execution. Thus in this example, the 3/4 must be played at six times, to ensure the precision, but “in the spirit” of a three-four time, not to weigh down the execution - it will thus be advisable to accentuate, not the first time of each of the three duple times, but only the first time of the first of these three measurements.

Syncopes and hitch

A syncope is a note attacked over time weak and prolonged on the key period according to. A Contretemps is also a note attacked over weak time, but which is followed from one key period in silence. Let us note that syncope and hitches can be also articulated, either over a weak time followed by one key period, but on a left weak time followed by a strong part.

Example of syncopes and hitch:

the syncope and the hitch are perceived by the listener like a displacement of the awaited rhythmic accent. They can be regarded as rhythmic elements in conflict with measurement. This is why a change of measurement causes a similar effect . The two following pieces for example, are appreciably perceived in the same way by the listener:

Measure and sung text

In the field of the vocal music , the natural accents or pulsations, generally coincides with the tonic accents of the sung text. But it is not always the case. One sometimes indeed notes a contradiction between the rate/rhythm of the prosody and that of the musical text.

Let us take as an example the initial reason for the Chanson “ While passing by Lorraine ”. We note first of all that this traditional song evokes a rate/rhythm of walk: we can thus suppose that it requires a notation of the type measurement at two (or four) times . However, the text of the reason which interests us comprises three tonic accents, respectively placed on the syllables sant, spoke and club-footed : it would be thus desirable that these three stressed syllables coincide with the key periods of selected measurement.

But, one notices in the three examples below that the beginning of this song can be noted various manners according to whether one gives the priority to the identity of measurement, or with the exact placement of the tonic accents over the key periods:

the example has, of crousic nature , place over key period the only tonic syllable club-footed . The example B, of anacrousic nature him, place over key periods the only syllables sant and spoke ; it reveals in addition a syncope on the syllable club-footed . The example C, place over key periods all the tonic syllables of the musical sentence (it is thus, from this point of view, the best of these three notations), but presents the disadvantage of revealing changes of measurements, and thus, is incompatible with the idea of walk.

Précisons that these three examples of notation concern only the reader/executant: if the piece is sung cappella has (i.e., without instrumental accompaniment), and if the stressing of the key periods is carried out without exaggeration , the listener, does not perceive to him any difference between these three possibilities.

See too

Internal bonds

Anacrouse
Figuring of measurement
Division of time
theoretical and technical Glossary of the Western music
Connection of prolongation
Music
Not of prolongation
Representation of the durations
rhythmic Signature
Musical theory
Rate/rhythm (musical theory)
Time
Unit of time

External bonds

Orthorythme, a program to learn with rythmer and to include/understand composées measurements;: 3/2 5/2 7/4, 6/2 10/2 14/4.

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