Music GCSE
Syncopation
What Syncopation means in Music GCSE, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Syncopation
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Placing the rhythmic accent or emphasis on a weak beat or off-beat.
Placing the rhythmic emphasis or accent on a weak beat or off-beat.
Topics that use Syncopation
- Appraising (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- S Schwartz: Defying Gravity (from the cast recording of Wicked) (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
Using Syncopation in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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