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Catalogue of Basic Rhythmic Cells

This section repeats the rhythmic cells introduced up to this point, for activities where it may be useful to have a full reference.

Simple Meter

Reference number: S1 S2 S3 S4
Description: two even notes four even notes long-short-short short-short-long
Staff notation (eighth note beat): Two sixteenth notes, beamed together Four thirty-second notes, beamed together A sixteenth note followed by two thirty-second notes, all beamed together Two thirty-second notes followed by a sixteenth note, all beamed together
Staff notation (quarter note beat): Two eighth notes, beamed together Four sixteenth notes, beamed together An eighth note followed by two sixteenth notes, all beamed together Two sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note, all beamed together
Staff notation (half note beat): Two quarter notes Four quarter notes beamed together A quarter note followed by two beamed-together eighth notes Two beamed-together eighth notes followed by a quarter note
Takadimi syllables: ta di ta ka di mi ta   di mi ta ka di
Number syllables: 1 and 1 ee and a 1    and a 1 ee and
Kodaly syllables: ti ti ti ri ti ri ti    ti ri ti ri ti
Protonotation Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are two equal-length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are four equal-length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are one longer horizontal line followed by two shorter horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are two shorter horizontal lines followed by one longer horizontal line.

 

 

Reference number: S5 S6 S7 S8
Description: long-short within a simple beat long-short across two simple beats short-long within a simple beat short-long across two simple beats
Staff notation (eighth note beat): A dotted sixteenth note followed by a thirty-second note, beamed together. A dotted eighth note followed by a dotted sixteenth, not beamed together A thirty-second note followed by a dotted sixteenth note, beamed together. A sixteenth note followed by a dotted eighth note, not beamed together
Staff notation (quarter note beat): A dotted eighth note followed by a sixteenth note, beamed together. A dotted quarter note, followed by a dotted eighth note A sixteenth note followed by a dotted eighth note, beamed together. An eighth note followed by a dotted quarter note.
Staff notation (half note beat): Dotted quarter note followed by an eighth note. A dotted half note, followed by a quarter note An eighth note followed by a dotted quarter note. A quarter note followed by a dotted half note.
Takadimi syllables: ta     mi ta [di ta] di ta ka ta di [ta di]
Number syllables: 1    a 1 [and 2] and 1 ee 1 and [2 and]
Kodaly syllables:
Protonotation: Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are a longer horizontal line followed by a shorter horizontal line. Two vertical lines with one long followed by one short horizontal line between. One more vertical line sits between the other two and crosses the long horizontal line. The vertical lines represent the beginning and ends of beats. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are a shorter horizontal line followed by a longer horizontal line. Two vertical lines with one short followed by one long horizontal line between. One more vertical line sits between the other two and crosses the long horizontal line. The vertical lines represent the beginning and ends of beats.

 

 

Reference number: S9 S10
Description: short-long-short within a beat short-long-short across two beats
Staff notation (eighth note beat): A thirty-second note, a sixteenth note, and a thirty-second note all beamed together. Two pairs of beamed sixteenth notes; the middle two sixteenth notes are tied together.  or  A sixteenth note, an eighth note, and a sixteenth note all beamed together.
Staff notation (quarter note beat): A sixteenth note, an eighth note, and a sixteenth note all beamed together. Two sets of two beamed eighth notes; the middle two are tied together.  or  An eighth note, a quarter note, and an eighth note all beamed together.
Staff notation (half note beat): An eighth note, a quarter note, and an eighth note all beamed together. A quarter note, a half note, and a quarter note.
Takadimi syllables: ta ka   di ta di [ta] di
Number syllables: 1 ee   a 1 and [2] and
Kodaly syllables:
Protonotation: Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between a short line followed by a longer line followed by another short line. Two vertical lines with a short, a long, and a following short horizontal line between. One more vertical line sits between the other two and crosses the long horizontal line. The vertical lines represent the beginning and ends of beats.

 

Compound Meter

Reference number: C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
Description: one note per beat three even notes per beat long-short within a compound beat short-long within a compound beat six even notes per beat
Staff notation (dotted eighth note beat): A dotted eighth note. Three sixteenth notes, beamed together. An eighth note and a sixteenth note, beamed together. A sixteenth note followed by an eighth note, beamed together. Six thirty-second notes, beamed together.
Staff notation (dotted quarter note beat): A dotted quarter note Three eighth notes, beamed together. A quarter note followed by an eighth note. An eighth note followed by a quarter note. Six sixteenth notes, beamed together.
Staff notation (dotted half note beat): A dotted half note. Three quarter notes. A half note followed by a quarter note. A quarter note followed by a half note. Six eighth notes, beamed together.
Takadimi syllables: ta ta ki da ta    da ta ki ta va ki di da ma
Number syllables: 1 1 la li or 1 & a 1   li or 1   a 1 la   or 1 & 1 ta la ta li ta
Kodaly syllables:
Protonotation Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is a long horizontal line. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are three equal length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one longer line followed by one short line. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one shorter line followed by one longer line. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between are six short equal length horizontal lines.

 

 

Reference number: C6 C7 C8 C9 C10
Description: long-four shorts long-three shorts long-two shorts long-short-medium medium-long-short
Staff notation (dotted eighth note beat): A sixteenth note, followed by four thirty-second notes, all beamed together. A dotted sixteenth note followed by three thirty-second notes, all beamed together. An eighth note followed by two thirty-second notes, all beamed together. A dotted sixteenth note, a thirty second note, and a sixteenth note, all beamed together. A sixteenth note, a dotted sixteenth note, and a thirty-second note, all beamed together.
Staff notation (dotted quarter note beat): An eighth note, followed by four sixteenth notes, all beamed together. A dotted eighth note, followed by three sixteenth notes, all beamed together. A quarter note followed by two beamed-together sixteenth notes A dotted eighth note, a sixteenth note, and an eighth note, all beamed together. An eighth note, a dotted eighth note, and a sixteenth note, all beamed together.
Staff notation (dotted half note beat): A quarter notes, followed by four beamed-together eighth notes. A dotted quarter note followed by three beamed-together eighth notes. A half note followed by two beamed-together eighth notes. A dotted quarter note, an eighth note, and a quarter note. A quarter note, a dotted quarter note, and an eighth note.
Takadimi syllables: ta  ki di da ma ta   di da ma ta    da ma ta   di da ta  ki   ma
Number syllables: 1  la ta li ta 1   ta li ta 1    li ta 1   ta li 1  la   ta
Kodaly syllables:
Protonotation Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one longer horizontal line followed by four shorter equal length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one longer horizontal line followed by three shorter equal length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one longer horizontal line followed by two shorter equal length horizontal lines. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one long horizontal line followed by one short horizontal line and one medium length horizontal line. Two vertical lines representing the beginning and end of the beat. In between is one medium horizontal line followed by a long horizontal line and a short horizontal line.

Activity: Identify Rhythmic Cells By Ear

Goal: Identify compound and simple rhythmic cells in sounding music.

Instructions: Identify the rhythmic cells used in melodies in Brian Edward Jarvis’s Rhythmic Pattern Dictation Trainer. Note that the trainer’s notation typically assumes a quarter-note beat in simple meter and a dotted-quarter-note beat in compound meter. If a specific type of meter is most difficult (simple or compound), it may be useful to start there, but aim to eventually work with both.

 

Image Attributions
  • Figure 7.15  “ti ti protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.16  “tiri tiri protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.17  “ti tiri protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.18  “tiri ti protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.31  “S5 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.32  “S6 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.33  “S7 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.34  “S8 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.43  “S9 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.44  “S10 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License
  • Figure 7.60  “C1 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.61  “C2 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.62  “C3 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.63  “C4 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.64  “C5 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.80  “C6 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.81  “C7 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.82  “C8 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.83  “C9 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.
  • Figure 7.84  “C10 Protonotation” by Meghan Hatfield licensed under a CC BY-SA License.

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