45.97An important conceptual upgrade

Earlier we treated rhythm mainly as:

where notes happen.

Now we add:

what larger rhythmic system those notes belong to.

That is similar to harmony.

A note E♭ alone means little.

E♭ inside C minor has one meaning.

Inside F7 another.

Likewise an offbeat attack by itself has limited meaning.

Its relationship to:

• pulse
• bar
• clave
• bass
• phrase

gives it function.