Meaning of tactus in music
Tactus refers to the basic beat or pulse in music, typically felt as one beat per second according to multiple sources [1,2,3]. It serves as a steady rhythmic guide for musicians to keep time and helps organize rhythmic structures in a piece.
Historically, tactus developed in the Renaissance and Baroque periods as a means of organizing musical time [7]. Performers would use a down-and-up hand gesture to mark the tactus, which was indicated by the mensural time signature. The tactus set the tempo and subdivision of the beat, allowing musicians to coordinate their playing [6].
Tactus also relates to articulation and phrasing, as the rhythmic pulse helps shape notes into meaningful groups [8]. Several sources mention that the precise tempo of tactus varied from musician to musician based on stylistic considerations, instrument, and context [3,9]. But in general, tactus refers to the basic underlying pulse and beat in music.
- A Renaissance term for a beat, a division of a measure, generally at the speed of 60 to 70 tacti per minute.
- A Renaissance term for a fret on the lute or clavichord.
- An improvisational organ composition.
Leave a Reply