Beat

Exploring approaches to teaching beat

The 'beat' is a constant pulse that runs through a song or piece of music.  It can be compared to a ticking clock or a pumping heart.  By playing in time to the beat, a group of musicians can stay in sync with one another.

Can all children move in time to a beat?

In the same way that not every child can automatically hit a ball, not every child can automatically move in time to a beat however by developing coordination and spatial awareness, both things can be learnt.

Beat is the anchor for rhythm

Understanding a steady beat is the anchor to building an understanding of rhythm and the activities in this section are designed to help children to develop this important skill.