Rhythmic Divisions

Music contains rhythms which are organised into two division groups: First level/ fundamental divisions and sub-divisions. The rhythms contained in first level divisions are equal to or less than the quarter note and are placed the on-beat whereas the rhythms within sub-divisions are greater than the quarter note and therefore introduce the concept of off-beats.

Time Signatures

In general, we can think of a bar of music as a rhythmic grid containing rhythmic divisions. For example a bar of common time music (4/4) is divided into 4 quarter beats (crotchets). Learn more about Time Signatures here.

Fundamental Divisions

Whole Note (semi breve) 1:1

1

2

3

4

Strum Template: 8th Notes(quavers)

1+2+3+4+

Half Notes (minums) 2:1

1

2

3

4

Strum Template: 8th Notes(quavers)

1+2+3+4+

Quarter Notes (crotchets) 4:1

1

2

3

4

Strum Template: 8th Notes(quavers)

1+2+3+4+

Sub Divisions

Eighth Notes (quavers) 8:1

1

+

2

+

3

+

4

Strum Template: 8th Notes(quavers)

1+2+3+4+

Strum Template: 8th Notes(quavers)

1+2+3+4+

Twelfth Notes (triplets) 12:1

1

+

a

2

+

a

3

+

a

4

+

a

Strum Template: 12th Notes(triplets)

1+a2+a3+a4+a

Sixteenth Notes (semi quavers) 16:1

1

e

+

a

2

e

+

a

3

e

+

a

4

e

+

a

Strum Template: 16th Notes(semi-quavers)

1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a

Rhythm Tree Excercise

• Set your metronome to ~60bpm or lower.
• Choose a chord to play
• Starting from the top level strum the rhythms in each bar and repeat x4 times before moving down to the next level of rhythms. Continue this process all the way down the tree.
• Once you have reached the bottom level repeat the same process as above this time from bottom to top level.