Definition of Tempo: Types and Musical Instruments Relying on It

What Is Birama? – If Sinaumeds has a hobby of creating music, he is definitely no stranger to tempo and time. Yep, even though the two are two different terms, they are still related to one another, you know… It’s like letters and stamps that can’t be separated! Just a little trivia , time and tempo are not only related to music that is related to the human voice, but also to the musical instrument.

So, if tempo is a measure of speed in music, then what is a bar? What are the types of bars in a musical art? What are the musical instruments that rely on bars in practice? So that Sinaumeds understands these things, let’s look at the following review!

What is a Song Timeline?

Birama is one of the elements of music that cannot be separated. Birama has a definition in the form of beats in a piece of music, usually written with a sign in the form of a fractional number. For example 2/4, 6/8, and others. The number 2 (the quantifier) ​​will indicate the number of beats in one measure, while the number 4 (the denominator) will indicate the note value in one measure.

A little trivia, the bar is always related to the tempo. That’s because tempo is a measure of speed in a song’s measure, usually it can be measured with a tool called a metronome and a special tool called a keyboard. Especially in the keyboard tool, there will be a digital metronome that functions as a speed meter in a measure.

For example, on a musical note there is a 2/4 mark, so that means the beat will be a quarter note. That is, there will be 4 measures for each 2 beats. Please note, Sinaumeds, that each musical genre has its own tempo. For pop songs, usually the tempo is between 64-80 or 100-120 beats per minute. It’s different from the march song, where the tempo can be around 140-160 beats per minute.

The time signature is the beat in a piece of music, usually marked with a fractional number. For example 2/4, then the number 2 (quantifier) ​​will indicate the number of beats in one measure, while the number 4 (the denominator) will indicate the note value in one beat. The measure in a song that has an even denominator is called the bainar measure. Meanwhile, a measure in a song that has an odd denominator value is called the lastest measure.

This measure will usually appear in the musical score as a segment of the melody line indicating the beat. For example, in a block notation there is a ¾ measure, it will show that the notes in each measure are worth 3 beats, where each beat is worth ¼. In one short song, it generally consists of 8 or 16 measures. Meanwhile in a standard song, there will be 32 measures.

What Is a Time Sign?

 

A time signature is a sign that looks like a stacked fraction. This time signature is the time signature to be used in a song. The measure line is divided into two, namely the single measure line which functions as the boundary between measures and the double measure line which functions as the ending of the song.

What Are the Types of Measure in Music?

There are 2 main types of measures, namely the junction measure and the junction measure. Well, here is the description!

1. Moderate Biometric Measures: Measures 2/4 and 2/8

In this 2/4 measure there are two beats. At the 2/4 time signature, it has 2 beats which are ¼ in each measure. In other words, there are two ¼ knots in each measure. An example of a folk song that uses this type of time signature is Manuk Dadali .

2. Double-Raced Measures: Measures 4/4, 8/4, 4/8, and 8/8

The double-level measure, aka the 4/4 measure, is a measure that has 4 beats. This means that each measure will have 4 beats equal to ¼. In other words, there are four ¼ knots in each measure. An example of a folk song that uses this type of time signature is Si Jali-Jali .

3. Persahaja T-junction Measure: Measure ¾ and ⅜

The 3/3 measure, aka the simple T-junction measure, is a measure that consists of 3 beats. The ¾ mark is usually called the waltz tempo . In this measure there are 3 beats worth ¼ in one measure. In other words, there are 3 ¼ knots in each measure. An example of a regional song that uses a type bar is the Cockatoo Bird .

4. Multilevel T-junction Measures: Measures 6/4, 6/8, 9/4, and 9/8

The 6/8 measure, aka the multilevel T-junction measure, is a measure that has 6 beats. This means that each measure will have 6 beats worth ⅛. In other words, there are 6 knots ⅛ to be the benchmark for the tempo. There are quite a number of folk songs that use this type of time signature, one of which is My Village that I Love .

Types of Rhythmic Instruments that Rely on Time

1. Drums

This rhythmic musical instrument is included in the category of modern musical instruments, because it is usually used in a contemporary musical performance. The proof is, 90% of top songs, both in Indonesia and abroad, will definitely use drums as an accompanying instrument. According to some references, this rhythmic drum instrument originated in China which then developed. A drum set, aka a drum set, can be divided into 3 devices which are usually installed as a single unit, namely:

  • Drum, its parts are bass drum, snare drum, floor tom, tom-tom.
  • Cymbals, the parts are: ride cymbal, crash cymbal, hi-hat, chinese splash.
  • Hardware, the parts are: cymbals, poles, bass/kick pedals, benches as seats, hi-hat pedals.

2. Tambourine

Tambourine is a traditional rhythmic musical instrument that is flat and round in shape, usually framed with turned wood. The surface of the tambourine is made of animal skin, generally using stretched goat skin. How to play it is quite simple, namely by being hit with the palm of the hand. The tambourine musical instrument originates from the Middle East, while the Malays only popularized it in the archipelago.

3. Tambourine

Tamborine is a type of modern rhythmic musical instrument which is usually used to accompany songs with cheerful rhythms. The tambourine is made of metal in the shape of a circle, in which each side will be attached to a thin round metal frame. It is from the double metal that makes the tambourine produce sound, especially when it is shaken.

The tambourine instrument comes from Europe, especially from the Turkish army band called Janissaries.

4. Chestnut

This traditional rhythmic instrument is usually used to accompany dances from Spain. The chestnut consists of hard, concave-shaped wood chips. How to play it is quite simple, namely by tapping the castanets in our left and right hands.

5. Drum

This traditional rhythmic musical instrument is popular in West Java and Central Java which is usually used to set the rhythm or rhythm of a song. How to play it is only hit on both sides by hand, without using any additional tools.

These drums are generally made of jackfruit, cempedak, coconut, or the best quality is mahogany. While the surface that gives a low tone (called bam) is made of buffalo skin, while the surface that gives a high tone (called chang) is made of goat skin. Until now, the drum is used as a musical accompaniment in traditional ceremonies such as wedding accompaniments, welcoming guests, and martial arts.

6. Triangles

As the name implies, this modern rhythmic musical instrument is triangular in shape and made of metal. This triangle musical instrument when played will produce a very loud and high sound. According to some sources, the triangle musical instrument has been known to the public since the 16th century. However, it is not known exactly who the creator is and where it came from.

Meanwhile, in the history of classical music, the triangle instrument has often been played by the public, especially in Western classical orchestras in the 18th century. Famous musicians who often use this instrument as part of classical music are Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart. How to play this triangle musical instrument is quite easy, that is, just by holding the stem with one hand. Then, the other hand will hit the triangle using a special bat.

So, that’s an overview of what the bars are in music along with the types of musical instruments that rely on the beats and tempos in them. Does Sinaumeds often calculate this measure when he wants to make music?