encounter the terms

Arsis

and

Thesis

, terms adapted from Hellenistic

poetic meter. These have come to mean “upbeat” and “downbeat”
respectively. These are nearly slang definitions or, at best, jargon.

Arsis

is best described as “preparatory,” hence perceived as a relatively
weak pulse. Thesis is best described as “accentuated,” hence relatively
strong. It is interesting to note that, at various times in the history of
music, the meaning of these two terms has been reversed from time to
time.

Time signatures

7

consist of two numbers, one over another, placed at the

beginning of a composition. They may occur anywhere in a composition where a
meter change is required. They are NEVER written as fractions!

Simple and Compound Meter

To understand meter fully, we must first determine the fundamental nature of the
prevailing background pulse or beat. In given meters, we perceive beats as having
the potential (or capacity) of being divided in two ways:

1. The prevailing background pulse may be subdivided into

two

proportionally equal portions. Meters having this attribute are labeled

Simple Meter

(or

Simple time

).

2. The prevailing background pulse may be subdivided into

three

proportionally equal portions. Meters having this attribute are labeled

Compound Meter

(

Compound time

).

We name meters according to two criteria:

1. Is it

Simple

or

Compound

time?

2. How many prevailing background pulses are grouped together?

Figure 1.16

Simple and Compound Divisions of Given Pulses

7. Meter is expressed as time

signatures, indicating how
many pulses (beats) are
grouped together into cogent
units.

Chapter 1 The Elements of Rhythm: Sound, Symbol, and Time

1.2 Pulse, Tempo, and Meter

22