Arts
What is the difference between rhythm and beat?
Quick answer
The beat is the steady pulse of music, like a heartbeat. The rhythm is the pattern of long and short sounds that fits over the beat.
In one sentence
The beat is the steady pulse you can tap your foot to, and the rhythm is the pattern of sounds that plays over it.
Explained
Put your hand on your chest and feel your heartbeat: thump, thump, thump. It keeps going at a steady speed. In music, that regular pulse is called the beat. It is what you clap or tap along to.
drum
bell
xylophone
Now sing "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and clap the words as you say them. You are clapping the rhythm, the pattern of long and short sounds. Some words last for one beat, and some take two. The beat stays steady while the rhythm changes on top of it. You can think of the beat as a train track, with the rhythm as the carriages going over it.
Three useful words:
- Beat: the steady pulse.
- Rhythm: the pattern of long and short notes.
- Tempo: how fast or slow the beat is. It can be measured in beats per minute (BPM). A calm lullaby may be 60 beats per minute and a lively dance at 120 or more.
Beats are usually grouped into bars. The time signature says how many. In 4/4 time you count 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, with a stronger first beat. In 3/4 time, as in a waltz, you count 1-2-3, 1-2-3. You can make an accent by clapping the first beat louder. Rests are silent beats that are part of the pattern, too.
Try clapping the rhythm of your name. "Ma-ri-a" has three claps, "Fa-ti-ma" has three, and "Bo" has one. Words are a great source of rhythm, just as syllables break words into beats. A drummer, a dancer and a poet all work with rhythm, and many instruments help to keep the beat. Written symbols for lengths are described in musical notes.
Examples
| Word | Syllables | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Drum | 1 | one clap |
| Banana | 3 | ba-na-na |
| Watermelon | 4 | wa-ter-mel-on |
| Elephant | 3 | el-e-phant |
Common mistakes
- Mixing up beat and rhythm. The beat is steady, while the rhythm varies.
- Rushing. Keep the beat even by tapping your foot.
- Skipping rests. A silent beat still counts.
Quick quiz
Rhythm and beat
Check what you know with 4 quick questions.
Question 1 of 4
What is the beat in music?
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For grown-ups
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