Secondary Rag

A specific ragtime pattern that creates syncopation through association with the beat rather than metrically with varied note lengths. The secondary rag pattern is also referred to as a three over four pattern, where three notes or a continuing three-note pattern is played over a duple (2/4) beat, creating a syncopation at the beginning of every pattern, which will land between the beats of the "oom-pah" accompaniment as shown in the image below. Secondary rag patterns were commonly used in a sophisticated manner in Novelty Ragtime of the 1920s. Popular examples of the use of this pattern are found in 12th Street Rag, Dill Pickles, Black and White Rag, and Kitten on the Keys.