ma

Japanese composer

Definition

The Japanese aesthetic concept of negative space or meaningful pause between sounds. In music it refers not to absence but to a charged silence that carries as much weight as the surrounding notes.

Interpretive Guidance

Allow silences to breathe and resonate fully rather than filling them with movement. Ma is structural — treat pauses as events, not gaps.

Context

Scope Used by Toru Takemitsu
Language Japanese

Learn musical terms in context

Key Passage surfaces musical terms within your practice, helping you understand and interpret the music you play.

Get Started Free