3.3: Foreground Time
- Page ID
- 91138
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Foreground time encompasses all of the complex rhythms that happen on top of the meter and pulse of the music. This is all of the surface rhythms of the music. This is where most syncopations occur. Syncopation is a rhythmic emphasis where it is not expected. Syncopations are common in most genres of music. A common syncopation is to accent offbeats. Offbeats are the spaces between the background pulses. Reggae and its parent genres of rock steady and ska all contain heavy syncopation by emphasizing the offbeats.