tactus
- noun
- /ˈtæktəs/
- Specialized
- In Renaissance music, the tactus helped musicians keep a consistent tempo.
Examples
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Learning to feel the tactus is important for interpreting early Baroque pieces.
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In Baroque music, the tactus often dictates the tempo.
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The choir followed the conductor's tactus to stay together during the performance.
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The tactus is essential for maintaining rhythm.
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The choir followed the conductor's tactus to stay together during the performance.
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In Renaissance music, the tactus helped musicians keep a consistent tempo.
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Learning to feel the tactus is important for interpreting early Baroque pieces.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A repeated pattern of beats that musicians use to keep time in Indian classical music
1
4.8
A steady beat that gives the basic timing in music or poems
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tactus in music comes from the Latin verb tangere, which means 'to touch'. Think of a conductor's steady hand 'touching' the time — that steady touch became the musical 'tactus', the pulse that keeps players together. The same root is in English words like tactile, which also relate to touch.