What term describes a repeating pattern in music?

The term that describes a repeating pattern in music is rhythm. Rhythm encompasses the timing and placement of sounds in music, creating a structured pattern that can be felt as a beat throughout a piece. It is crucial in establishing the pace and movement of a musical piece, often guiding how the other elements, such as melody and harmony, are organized.

While beat refers to the basic unit of time in a piece of music, melody involves a sequence of notes that are perceived as a single entity, and harmony pertains to the combination of different musical notes played or sung simultaneously, it is rhythm that specifically focuses on the repetitive nature and the timing of those elements. The repeating patterns inherent in rhythm can be found in various genres of music, making it foundational to musical composition and performance.