Rhythm and Beat

Start with a rhythm pattern

Begin with the rhythm learning sequence flashcards. They show counting patterns with different placements of subdivisions, so you can work through a pattern and compare it with the next. The page lists versions that use different symbols for those subdivisions.

Then try Common Rhythmic Combinations. It includes a dotted quarter note with an eighth note, described as equal to two beats. Use the cards to connect a written combination with its count and sound.

Explore rhythm ideas in the maps

The Rhythms mind map introduces syncopation, strong beats, offbeat sounds and triplets. It describes a triplet as three notes played in the space of two. A separate mind map covers pulse, tempo, accents, subdivisions, syncopation and cross rhythms.

Look at a map after working through the flashcards. Find an idea that relates to a pattern you have studied, then return to the cards and count it again. The note made from the Rhythms mind map offers another way to read some of the same ideas.

Check your counting

Rhythm Counting Test Quiz asks you to match counts to notes and count a measure. Use it after the flashcards to check how you apply counting to written rhythms. If a question is difficult, return to the sequence cards and work through the patterns again.

For another kind of practice, the rhythmic dictation flashcards prompt you to listen to a pattern, write it and check the solution. The verbal rhythm cards offer patterns expressed with syllables such as “Taa” and “Tate”.

Keep your study connected

Rhythm and Beat is a section of the Notation and Rhythm unit in Music. The resources on this page let you move between written counts, rhythm vocabulary and listening practice within that section. Choose a map or quiz and use it alongside a flashcard deck.