1.1 | Steady Beat
Learn
Keeping a steady beat means playing at the same speed throughout the entire song. It’s important to play in time as a performing and recording musician because all the instruments and musicians need to be “in sync” with each other. When all the musicians collectively feel the same pulse, they are able to groove together.
Beat: The pulse of the music; it’s what you tap your foot to.
Tempo: Speed of the beat, measured in BPM (beats per minute).
Metronome: A device that plays a steady beat.
Toggle the metronome to show/hide the controls
Click on the metronome button and listen to the steady beat at different tempos.
Backbeat: Beats 2 + 4.
Meter: How beats are organized.
Measure: A group of beats.
Practice
Tap your foot and count the beat with these clips on Spotify’s Top 50 Chart →.
Count along or clap the backbeat (2 + 4) with a Drumless Track →.
Apply your ability to keep a steady beat by adding your own backbeat to the songs on This Playlist →.
Work on keeping a steady beat with this Key Drumming Video →.
Apply
Watch the walkthrough video on how to complete the Backbeat Noteflight Assignment →.
Record
Assess your steady beat with the Soundtrap Steady Beat Test.
Add new track > Drum and beats track.
Disable the looping function by double-clicking on the purple bar over the timeline.
Use the “U” key on the typing keyboard or C1 on the MIDI keyboard to play along with the test.
Press record and test your ability to keep a steady beat.
Check your work by clicking on piano roll and zooming in on your notes.
Share To Classroom
Teacher Tips
Here is a sample sequence for this chapter.
Beat + Time
Watch the beat + time animation together.
Listen to the metronome and have students tap their feet to the beat for different tempos.
Have students quietly tap the beat in their hands.
Have students clap the beat.
Record students clapping the beat with the metronome and play it back.
Play songs from the Spotify playlist and have students clap along to the beat.
Play the drumless tracks (found in the practice section) and have students clap along to the beat.
Play the key drumming steady beat video (also found in the practice section) and have students clap along to it.
Meter
Listen to a pop song and have students tap their feet to the beat and clap on beat one. (You usually don’t have to tell them where beat one is, since they are able to figure it out.)
Have students count the rest of the beats in each grouping and ask them how many counts are in each repetition.
Show the meter and measure animation.
Count along to student-selected songs.
Have students clap on beats two and four to introduce backbeat.
Have students practice clapping the backbeat with the Noteflight score by themselves and have some of them present to the class.
Have students count the meter and clap on the back beat to the Songs Without Drums Playlist.
Assessment
Listen to the Soundtrap steady beat test together and have students clap with the metronome and through the periods of silence.
Show how to loop the audio (click on the grey bar above the timeline to activate cycle mode and extend the bar to the end of the audio clip).
Have the class perform the steady beat test together while you record their performance. Play the recording back and give students an opportunity to grade themselves.
Have students practice the steady beat test individually using the Soundtrap project. It is best if they silently tap their finger on a desk.
Assess students by having them tap on a desk with a pen or clap along with the project. If students are remote, they can record a performance of the hihat using the instructions listed below the Soundtrap studio window.
Conference with students immediately after their test to determine what their TIME TENDENCY is. If students can identify if they rush or drag, they can work on countering this tendency.
You can have an instance of Soundtrap studio open on a device and walk around to assess the class. It is a quick way to test the whole class.