Counting Rhythms

Most people can snap their fingers, or drum with their hands in time with almost any rhythm. That means you don't need to 'count' or have any knowledge of music theory to hear a rhythm and imitate it.

Imitating Rhythms is one of the basic skills needed in order to play by ear. If you can imitate a rhythm, then you can memorize it, and then you can count it. Many average people with no music training have a well-developed sense of rhythm. Many non-musicians can hear complex, synchopated rhythms, memorize them, and reproduce them after hearing them only a few times.

For instance, most people can snap their fingers in time with a beat. Many people with no musical background can imitate complex drum rhythms with their hands, and many people have taught themselves to play drums by imitating rhythms that they hear on records or CDs.

This means you don't need to 'count' or have any knowledge of music theory to hear a rhythm and imitate it. (You don't have to know how to diagram sentences to speak and write using correct grammar.)

As long as you can imitate the rhythms you hear, you don't have to know anything about meter or counting rhythms. Most beginners on guitar can learn to imitate the rhythms they hear, even though they may not know how to count that rhythm, let alone write it or read it.

Imitating rhythm is a basic musical skill, and you should make an effort to develop this skill. Practice imitating rhythms you hear in music, whether it is snapping your fingers in time with a rhythm, or drumming with your hands on the steering wheel at the light in time with the music (maybe not while you're driving).

Why Learn To Count   If you really want to understand music, you want to get comfortable with counting rhythms. If you want to communicate musical ideas, especially with players from more 'traditional' backgrounds, then you want to understand the basics of rhythm and meter. Counting is also important if you want to get good at reading music. Learn to count before you learn to read. Counting isn't hard if you take it slowly, a piece at a time.

After a little practice, you can completely disect the rhythm of a song by ear. You don't need any written notes, you can do it completely in your head. But, it takes a while to get good at counting.

Dividing Rhythms Into '3' or '4'    Most rhythms you hear in popular music can be counted as either '1 - 2 - 3' or as '1 - 2 - 3 - 4.' Four-counts are much more common than three-counts, and make up about 90% of meters used in popular music.

The 4/4 Rock Beat   Most rock and country music is based on the '4/4 rock beat.' Almost everyone has heard a song that starts off with someone counting out 'one, two, three, four,' at the start of the song.

There are several minor variations on this beat, but they are based on a very simple formula.

For examples of the 4/4 Rock Beat. Download the Drum Tracks Page free anytime.

The standard 4/4 rock beat looks like this:

The Bass drum plays on beats one and three. The snare drum plays on beats two and four.

Usually, there is a higher-pitched percussion voice like a high-hat, ride cymbal or shaker that subdivides each of the four beats. The simplest subdivision is by two. (eighth notes)

In the diagram below, 'CH' represents the closed high-hat. The closed high-hat makes a short, stacatto sound similar to a shaker or an 'egg.'

The four main beats, covered by the bass and snare, are called 'quarter beats.' The eight shorter beats covered by the high-hat are called 'eighth-beats.'

Learning to count means dividing rhythms into quarter, eighth, and smaller beats.

Triple Meters   A song with a strong '1 - 2 - 3' pulse is called a 'waltz,' and is becoming rare, except in country, folk and bluegrass styles. The most common triple meters you see in rock, jazz and blues are 'six-eight' (6/8) and 'twelve-eight' (12/8). The second set of tracks on the Drum Tracks Page are in 6/8 time.

The Standard 6/8 Beat looks like this:

A fast 6/8 is usually counted as 12/8. The difference between 6/8 and 12/8 can be arbitrary. Many pieces can be counted comfortably in either 6 or 12.

---

© 2002, 2007 Greg Varhaug

---