Vertical Rhythm is simply when a body of text is aligned to evenly spaced horizontal lines (think of your lined paper from grade school), making it more cohesive and easier to read. Gridwax.gs is a free tool to check any sites vertical rhythm.
Just like in music, great rhythm is essential. Great rhythm feels tight and professional, while bad rhythm can make things awkward (which is why I don't play the drums). Rhythm does not have to be rigid and just like any rule can be bent or broken. Great examples of odd rhythms would be how The Beatles used shifting meters in "Strawberry Fields", and quintuple meters in "Within You, Without You". We can dive into music theory later, for now lets just stick to typography.
Just like in music, great rhythm is essential. Great rhythm feels tight and professional, while bad rhythm can make things awkward (which is why I don't play the drums). Rhythm does not have to be rigid and just like any rule can be bent or broken. Great examples of odd rhythms would be how The Beatles used shifting meters in "Strawberry Fields", and quintuple meters in "Within You, Without You". We can dive into music theory later, for now lets just stick to typography.
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