Rhythm

Rhythm is the most basic concept of music. In all cultures worldwide, the most simple and basic forms of music are purely rhythms. A rhythm is a pulse; a repetition of sounds in a pattern. Simple rhythms can be recognized straight away. Tapping rhythmically at a drum constitutes tapping it at timed intervals in a pattern. The most common rhythmic pattern in modern-day Western music is  time (say four-four time). This is where four pulses come one after the other, with the first of each four being given emphasis (known as an accent). Try this exercise:

• Say the words "one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four..." etc. continuously, and at even time intervals.
• Now each time you say "one", say it slightly louder: "one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four..." etc.
• You have just been saying the words "one", "two", "three" and "four" in  time.