Canter rhythm

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Canter time, canter timing or canter rhythm is a two-beat regular rhythmic pattern of a musical instrument or in dance steps within 3/4 time music. The term is borrowed from the canter horse gait, which sounds three hoof beats followed by a pause, i.e., 3 accents in 4/4 time.

In waltz dances it may mark the 1st and the 4th eighths of the measure, producing a 2/4 time overlay beat over the 3/4 time. In other words, when a 3/4 measure is cued as "1,2,&,3,...", the canter rhythm marks "1" and "&". This rhythm is the basis of the Canter Waltz. In modern ballroom dancing, an example is Canter Pivot in Viennese Waltz.

In Vals (a 3/4 style of Tango), the canter rhythm is also known as medio galope (which actually means "canter" in Spanish) and may accent beats 1 and 2 of the 3/4 measure.

References

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Last updated on Thursday March 13, 2008 at 13:18:33 PDT (GMT -0700)
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