Placement

Placement of notes is crucial for producing metric tension. Generally, the production of metric tension means notes not lining up with the pulse.  Repeat the following example, and the notes in the top stave will line up with the downbeat of every bar, and nowhere else.

 

Does the next example hold more tension or less? Conventional thinking says that more notes equals more tension, at least in terms of rhythm. However, to my ear (at least in this case), less notes makes it  less predictable. Because of this, it holds more tension.

 

 

For someone else, it may hold less tension, especially if they’re hearing a composite rhythm instead of a metric relationship.

The measurement of rhythmic tension relies a great deal on number of notes. The measurement of metric tension looks at the relationship between pulse and the notes played against the pulse. Your experience of tension arises from how you are listening.

These examples highlight the idea of defining different qualities of tension, instead of defining tension based on quantity of material. Quality is almost completely subjective, however.

So how do we define rhythmic quality?