Harmonic Rhythm
The rate and placement of chord changes, independent of the surface rhythm
Related
Harmonic rhythm is the rate and placement at which chords change. It can be independent of melodic and textural rhythm: the same tune with one chord per bar or per beat feels completely different in tension and breath.
A faster harmonic rhythm often drives towards a cadence or climax, while a slower one suggests arrival, development or suspension. At a cadence the six-four and the dominant are often held longer so that the resolution carries weight. Analysis should mark where each chord begins, not merely list them.
Harmonic rhythm is not the sum of chord durations, nor is it the drum pattern; it asks how often the harmony changes. A single chord held for several bars can create an extremely slow harmonic rhythm, and frequent chord changes are not necessarily exciting — they may be merely passing.
Sources
- 定义与分析用法参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Harmonic rhythm"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.