Additive rhythm
In music, an additive rhythm is a rhythm in which larger periods of time constructed from sequences of smaller rhythmic units added to the end of the previous unit. This is contrasted with divisive rhythms, in which a larger period of time is divided into smaller rhythmic units. The relationship between additive and divisive rhythms is complex, and the terms are often used in imprecise ways. The seventh edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, in its article on rhythm, states that "In discussions of rhythmic notation, practice or style, few terms are as confusing or as confusingly used as 'additive' and 'divisive'." Winold recommends that, "metric structure is best described through detailed analysis of pulse groupings on various levels rather than through attempts to represent the organization with a single term." (DeLone et al. (Eds.), 1975, chap. 3)
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