eritahtinen

Eritahtinen is a Finnish term used in music theory and analysis to describe passages where the rhythmic framework shifts away from a single regular meter. In practice, eritahtinen refers to music in which the beat structure changes within a piece, often by alternating between different time signatures or by employing meters that do not align to a single, stable pulse. The term emphasizes the irregular or mixed nature of the meter rather than changes in tempo.

The word derives from eri- meaning "different" and tahti meaning "beat" or "tempo," with the suffix -nen forming an adjective. In Finnish music literature, eritahtinen is used to discuss works or passages that create a sense of shifting meter, sometimes through abrupt metre changes and other times through cross-rhythmic decoupling of voices. The concept is most commonly associated with analyses of contemporary classical music and certain folk traditions where complex rhythmic organization is present. It is not a universal label and can overlap with related ideas such as mixed meters, changing meters, and cross-rhythm.

In application, eritahtinen highlights how listeners perceive rhythm and pulse when the beat patterns do not stay constant. Composers and analysts may describe specific sections as eritahtinen to indicate that the rhythmic orientation evolves, influencing phrasing, emphasis, and groove. While the term is mainly used in Finnish-language discourse, its rough equivalent in English-language musicology is often rendered as mixed meter or irregular meter. See also mixed meter, cross-rhythm, tempo modulation.