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[begin Semantic Rant] a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior; "it was his rule to take a walk before breakfast"; "short haircuts were the regulation" convention: something regarded as a normative example; "the convention of not naming the main character"; "violence is the rule not the exception"; "his formula for impressing visitors" prescribed guide for conduct or action (linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice principle: a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct; "their principles of composition characterized all their works" govern: exercise authority over; as of nations; "Who is governing the country now?" the duration of a monarch's or government's power; "during the rule of Elizabeth" decide with authority; "The King decreed that all firstborn males should be killed" dominion: dominance or power through legal authority; "France held undisputed dominion over vast areas of Africa"; "the rule of Caesar" predominate: be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance; "Money reigns supreme here"; "Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood" directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted; "he knew the rules of chess" decide on and make a declaration about; "find someone guilty" any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order; "the rule of St. Dominic" have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac principle: a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system; "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields" Here are a number of different definitions of rule. Take your pick. In music, we can say a rule applies globally to most styles, or we can say a rule governs the "correctness" or "accuracy" of a particular style. Either way, it's hardly the case that these are actually "rules" at all. Most of the concepts we talk about in theory are merely "expectations" that come about from those who listen to music of a particular style or group of styles. Perhaps it's more semantic than anything else, but for me, thinking in terms of "rules" or "guidelines", even in regards to theoretic discourse, is a fallacious approach. It's like saying, "These things must be done to create music that sounds like X, Y, or Z," which may or may not be the case at all. Instead, I would hope those of us actually participating in the discussion at this point could apply a little more critical thought about it. Just because the expectation is there doesn't necessarily mean the style is concretely formed. What made many works stand out was their departure from or the delaying of those expectations, not the strict adherence to them. But rules and expectations are not one in the same. Rules are conditions that must be true of all works within a style for those works to be considered stylistically connected. Expectations are... belief about (or mental picture of) the future anticipation: anticipating with confidence of fulfillment the feeling that something is about to happen [/End Semantic rant.] Any questions??