Rhythm is measured or timed movements that occur in a harmonious succession. Rhythm embraces impulse, beat, sound, accent, stress or motion. In order for a number of parts to comprise a pleasing whole, a certain relation or proportion must be felt so that one may perceive rhythm. This principle is exemplified in the arrangement of matter into visible objects, as in sculpture, architecture or the other plastic arts. Proportion produces a rhythm that is called symmetry.

Rhythm as applied to the movements of the human body produces dance.This rhythmic arrangement of sounds produces music from non-articulatedsounds and likewise, the articulated arrangement of sounds produces thecadence of prose and the measures of a verse. Verse may be described asa succession of articulate sounds that are regulated by definiterhythm. The recurrence of similar sounds in a rhythm produces a stateof rhyme. Rhyme is traditionally used to embellish or define a rhythm.That is all well and nice, but rhythm at its core is a person's naturalfeeling for such an arrangement of sounds, movements or colors. Sincelevels of perception vary among individuals, then an individual maypossess varying degrees rhythm or be devoid of rhythm entirely.

The music of the 20th century turned away from standard rhythmic patterns such as duple, triple and quadruple meters. Rhythms became increasingly complex and musicians experimented with different rhythm structures. They studied non-symmetrical rhythm patterns based upon odd numbers (e.g., three, five, seven, eleven and thirteen beats to the measure). The metric flow of music shifted constantly – sometimes with each measure. Now Western rhythms became polyrhythms and allowed Western music to enjoy the complexity and flexibility commonly heard in Asian or African rhythms.