55 Sight Singing Instructions

Performing Syncopated Rhythms in Simple and Compound Meters

Syncopated rhythms are defined as rhythms that accentuate or emphasize the off-beats of a measure. Syncopation can be found in music of all cultures and eras. It is common in repertoire from the Baroque and Classical eras, often in combination with chains of suspensions and resolutions.  In many genres, including rock, pop, and jazz, it feels so natural to perform in syncopated rhythm that the sight of literal notation can come as a surprise. In Scott Joplin’s instructional book, School of Ragtime, he explains the procedure for learning how to compose and perform syncopations.

In ear training dictations, syncopated rhythms that may sound easy to perform may initially seem hard to write down. In all cases, the trick is to remember pulse, meter, beat note, and the divisions and subdivisions of the beat. We need to internalize both what a syncopated rhythm looks like on a printed page, and what it sounds like in performance.

When performing syncopated rhythms in sight singing, it is crucial to keep a steady pulse. This is because the purpose of a syncopation in a composition is often to create the impression of forward momentum, or of textural “conflict.” Practice assiduously with a metronome so that you are not tempted to drag. If the underlying pulse is not steady, the listener will not understand what the performer is syncopating against!