My Web Text

For College Courses
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

borrowed division

[English]

Musical meters are groupings of beats into regular patterns. The organization of the rhythmic patterns in a composition are done in such a way that a regular, repeating pulse of beats may continue throughout the composition. Simple meter is defined as a meter where each beat can be subdivided by two. Compound meter can be defined as a meter where each beat can be subdivided by three. Borrowed division is the practice of “borrowing” the subdivision of one meter into another meter.

The first example below is in a simple meter. Measure one shows the beat of a quarter note. Measure two shows the normal subdivision of the quarter note into two eighth notes. Measure three shows triplets, or the subdivision of one beat (or  quarter note) into three notes. The triplets are “borrowed” from compound meter.

The second example below is in a compound meter. Measure one shows the beat of a dotted quarter note. Measure two shows the normal subdivision of the dotted quarter note into three eighth notes. Measure three shows duplets, or the subdivision of one beat (or dotted quarter note) into two notes. The duplets are “borrowed” from simple meter.

Example




Share


Last Updated: 2016-05-19 12:56:40
Support / Feedback
About Us