Rhythm usually refers to the perceived rhythm that flows through [text](/glossary/text_copy). That can be through the [letterforms](/glossary/letterform) of one word—i.e., when discussing the [type design](/glossary/type_designer) itself—or through a block of text—i.e., when discussing the [typographic treatment](/glossary/typography) of that text.

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![On the right side, an approximation of a blog post: a heading in large type, then some tags set in small, uppercase type, followed by a paragraph of text. To the left of all of this text, horizontal lines show the baseline grid running throughout the page, and it’s possible to align the grid lines to the baselines of the type, despite their varying sizes and positions.](images/thumbnail.svg)

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Rhythm can be affected by the angle of a letterform’s [stroke](/glossary/stroke); the [tracking](/glossary/tracking_letter_spacing), [line height](/glossary/line_height_leading), or [measure](/glossary/measure_line_length) applied to an entire text block; or almost any typographic parameter imaginable. At its simplest level, a vertical rhythm is implied by line height and the vertical spaces between elements, such as margins and padding values on paragraphs and accompanying headings. Using multiples of a discreet base unit helps us to achieve consistent and logical rhythm.