Is Rhythm Elastic.

[KamaK]

Then again, the old hits pushed and pulled plenty and were usually much better music on almost all levels than the ugly, dumb, heartless, one-dimensional overcompressed artificial music-like products that large companies produce today.

I felt this way a few years ago. TBT, I was emotionally saved by Daryl Hall's house, which reminded me that music still existed without all the bullshit.

 

[Larry]

I use a lot of tempo rubato when I do solo acoustic guitar expositions. I slow down to convey an air of solemnity, and speed up certain parts to bring life and end energy to the phrase.

There's also compositional tempo changes. A good illustration would be "The Little Engine That Could", which has the phrase "I think I can" in repetition at a gradually increasing tempo to convey the engine's increasing velocity.

True that. I should have said the lone instrumentalist.

 

[Anon La Ply]

I felt this way a few years ago. TBT, I was emotionally saved by Daryl Hall's house, which reminded me that music still existed without all the bullshit.

Yes, there's still some sincere music about but now you have to dig for it. Casual music listeners are exposed to the BS daily and some may never even encounter great non-standard music that they may have loved. The total result is a "compression" of mainstream music tastes, with the result being many fewer opportunities for those who enjoy the physical aspect of playing.

Also, since most of the music younger people are exposed to is so similar and predictable it's speeding up the flow of the young from music to multimedia as their first entertainment of choice.

 

[pgm554]

Two terms from western music ,accelerando and en retard.

Yes ,rhythm is elastic.

 

[J-Boogie]

I think in many instances, controlled elasticity can make a rhythm more interesting, more funky. That rolling egg thing again, I like elasticity, keeps my socks up.

 

[JustJames]

I felt this way a few years ago. TBT, I was emotionally saved by Daryl Hall's house, which reminded me that music still existed without all the bullshit.

Have you checked out NPR's series of Tiny Desk Concerts?

 

[paradiddle pete]

Rhythm...actually time....can be as elastic as the player wants it to be.

In my world there is no elasticity, except when I lose focus for a split second lol. My opinion is elasticity is a quality of higher forms of music. Like top 40, if there is still such a thing, it's all click. I'd say there's little to no elasticity in pop music.

The best example of elasticity in music among all the choices IMO, is the lone piano player. Lone piano players can employ elasticity to great effect.

The Lone Piano Players Italian Musical Form or Sidekick ( "Elastic Accompanist" ) would be Tonto! No Less... PA DOOM PISH!

 

[Otto]

Rhythm and Tempo are 2 different things.

You can consider Tempo an aspect of Rhythm(to many writers to quote).

Tempo can be elastic(ritardando to accelerando)...and with the view that Tempo is a part of Rhythm, then Rhythm can also be considered to be elastic.

If you subscribe to the view that Rhythm and Temp are different aspects of music then Rhythm has no inherent measurement of time beyond its internal consistency and is therefore neither elastic or rigid.

The most common interpretation I have heard is that Rhythm and Tempo are distinct...and Rhythm is neither elastic or rigid...but the tempo a Rhythm is played at can be elastic.

 

[GetAgrippa]

Well a song can be arranged to have "elastic" or varying tempo and the rhythm can be as simple, or complicated or elastic as any composer desires. But I think the issue is replicating as composed so you "ain't" elastic on tempo or rhythm when u "taint" suppose to be. I think of all the garage bands of 60-70s which were likely possible because the music was so elastic most people didn't notice all the elasticity in those replicating it-yep close enough sounds good let's dance.