Music · Grades 5–10
Rhythm, metre and note-value arithmetic · revision notes
Written note values describe relative durations. Actual seconds depend on tempo and the beat unit.
Key ideas and conditions
Duration
Written note values describe relative durations. Actual seconds depend on tempo and the beat unit.
Metre
A time signature organizes beats into measures under a convention. Here 4/4 uses four quarter-note beats per measure.
Tempo
A marking of 60 quarter-note beats per minute means one quarter-note beat per second in this simple model.
Performance
Notation provides a framework, while articulation, dynamics and context influence musical interpretation. Arithmetic alone does not define expression.
Explain without looking
- At 120 quarter-note beats per minute, find seconds per quarter-note beat.
- Explain how two performances can preserve the same notes and metre but sound different.
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