Rhythm in the Renaissance era
        
                                                                            Rhythm is tied to polyphony.
                                                        
  In Renaissance music, rhythm is closely tied to polyphony, which means many voices sounding at once. When several melodies are superimposed, the various voices sometimes each have their own rhythm. Therefore it is not always possible to detect a clear rhythm in this music, something to which you could count three or four beats in a bar. Instead of rhythm, there is a common pulse according to which all the voices move.
        
                                                                            Elements of music
                                                        
        
                                                                            Musical eras