RHYTHM TRACKS

This page is for Practice Tracks with RHYTHM ONLY. They are organized by

Meter (Time Signature)    2/4    3/4    4/4

and then by

Tempo (Speed of the beat) in Beats Per Minute (BPM)

Each meter has the same rhythm patterns repeated at every tempo listed. This is so you can easily learn to feel the sound of the same pattern at several different tempos. Unlike a metronome, these beats have some musical style that helps you get the feel. Yet they are pretty simple so they are easy to follow.

HOW to use:

1. Just listen. And count. Count out loud. Count in your head. But count intentionally, and count consciously. Count until you can press play from anywhere and immediately know what beat you are hearing.

2. Listen, Count, and Play along on your instrument. Easiest is to strum a single chord. Doing this removes any distractions, allowing you to focus intently on the rhythm. Focus intently on the counting. Focus intently on matching it as you play along. You can also use a single pitch.

3. Listen, Count, Play along in any other way you wish:  *Chord changes    *Open strings    *Scales    *Riffs    *Melodies    *Improvisation      etc. Anything you can dream up! Just stay in time.

 

Rhythm Tracks in 2/4 - Duple Meter

2/4 -- the simplest time signature! Begin here.

Number of beats in each measure: 2 (hence the "2" on the top)
Note value used to show the beat: quarter note/rest (hence the "4" on the bottom). Count: "1, 2"
Division of the beat: divides into two, shown by eighth note/rest. Count: "1 &, 2 &"
Longest note value, used to fill an entire measure: half note/rest. Count: "1 (2)"


After about a jillion years of teaching music, trying to show rhythm in many different ways, I have come back to this lovely little meter. Because of its lovely simplicity. It is the meter of marches, polkas, several other dances, and rock songs that break the mold of the more usual 4/4.

 

 

60BPM
Pro Tip: This is one second per beat. Get it? "60 beats per minute"  "60 seconds in a minute" same thing. Since we are all familiar with counting seconds, this is the place to begin learning to count in music. Weird thing is, in music most people say that this speed "Feels" slow. I don't know why, maybe there's some physiological reason. But most folks feel more at home with 80bpm or 90bpm, see below.

0:00/???
  1. 1
    steady-beat-1-2/4-drum-64bars-60bpm 2:15
    0:00/2:15
  2. 2
    steady-beat-2-2/4-kick-clap-64bars-60bpm 2:10
    0:00/2:10
  3. 3
    rock-beat-1-2/4-64bars-60bpm 2:13
    0:00/2:13
  4. 4
    rock-beat-2-2/4-64bars-60bpm 2:15
    0:00/2:15

 

 

70 BPM

0:00/???
  1. 1
    steady-beat-1-2/4-drum-64bars-70bpm 1:55
    0:00/1:55
  2. 2
    steady-beat-2-2/4-kick-clap-64bars-70bpm 1:52
    0:00/1:52
  3. 3
    rock-beat-1-2/4-64bars-70bpm 1:57
    0:00/1:57
  4. 4
    rock-beat-2-2/4-64bars-70bpm 2:06
    0:00/2:06

 

80 BPM
This tends to be the speed at which most beginners feel music. This or the next one up. For whatever reason. It's probably the best place to start.

0:00/???
  1. 1
    Steady-beat-1-2/4-drum-64bars-80bpm 1:42
    0:00/1:42
  2. 2
    Steady-beat-2-2/4-kick & clap-64bars-80bpm 1:39
    0:00/1:39
  3. 3
    Rock-beat-1-2/4-64bars-80bpm 1:43
    0:00/1:43
  4. 4
    Rock-beat-2-2/4-64bars-80bpm 1:45
    0:00/1:45

 

90 BPM
This tends to be the speed at which most beginners feel music. This or the next one down. For whatever reason. It's probably the best place to start.

0:00/???
  1. 1
    steady-beat-1-2/4-drum-64bars-90bpm 1:30
    0:00/1:30
  2. 2
    steady-beat-2-2/4-kick-clap-64bars-90bpm 1:27
    0:00/1:27
  3. 3
    rock-beat-1-2/4-64bars-90bpm 1:33
    0:00/1:33
  4. 4
    rock-beat-2-2/4-64bars-90bpm 1:40
    0:00/1:40

 

 

100 BPM

Rhythm Tracks in 3/4 - Triple Meter

Rhythm Tracks in 4/4 - Quadruple Meter