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LinkedIn Learning

Music Theory for Songwriters: Rhythm

via LinkedIn Learning

Overview

Improve your songwriting process by factoring for rhythm and building rhythm. Explore note values, time signatures, feel, timing, dynamics, syncopation, and more.

Syllabus

Introduction
  • Welcome
1. Rhythm and Note Values
  • What is rhythm and what are beats?
  • Notes, measures, and counting
  • Rhythm and drum set notation
  • Simple rhythm examples
  • Tempo and note lengths
  • Using subdivisions to build rhythm
  • Rests
  • Rhythm examples with rests
  • Triplets and duplets
  • Dots and ties
  • Rhythm examples
2. Time Signatures
  • Common time and 3/4 time
  • Simple and compound time signatures
  • Odd time signatures
  • Choosing a time signature for your song
  • Double time and half time
3. Feel and Timing
  • Dynamics
  • Accents and articulations
  • Tempo and tempo changes
  • Ahead of, on, or behind the beat
  • Swing
  • Syncopation and off beats
  • Polyrhythms (two rhythms at once)
Conclusion
  • Next steps

Taught by

David Franz

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