Modern MIDI, 2nd Edition

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Music Theory Primer

by Paul Musso, Professor of Music at the University of Colorado Denver

This chapter is included because understanding music theory and the terminology involved with our musical language is incredibly helpful for engineers, producers, and musicians who are using MIDI in the production process.

The Elements of Music

The three elements that encompass music are: rhythm, melody, and harmony.

Rhythm

Rhythm is defined as motion in music or “movement marked by the regulated succession of strong or weak elements”(Oxford English Dictionary). Rhythm is comprised of organized patterns. Within the patterns are varying durations. When a singer or instrumentalist produces a note it is usually held for a specific duration. This makes ...