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Author David Luebbert
Posted 2/19/05; 8:57:16 PM
Topic Fascinating Rhythm
Msg# 4494 (in response to 4493)
Prev/Next 4493/4495
Reads 1285

Michael, the change from 4/4 in the verse to 2/2 in the chorus does not indicate a change of tempo, but does indicate a change of accentuation between the verse and the chorus.

The 4/4 indicates that the bar is divided up into four beats, with each beat given emphasis. The change to 2/2 indicates that the tempo does not change but that only the half note divisions of the bar receive an accent. What were the offbeats in the 4/4 measures are left unaccented in the 2/2 measures.

The change in meter does express the idea that beats occur twice as slow in 2/2 as in 4/4. A beat in 2/2 covers two quarter notes, with two beats per bar. A beat  in 4/4 covers one quarter note with four beats per bar that sum to the same total duration as a 2/2 bar.


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Last update: Saturday, February 19, 2005 at 8:57 PM.