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Beat

The basic temporal unit of a composition. The regular pulse that organizes the rhythm.

The Savvy Take

There is a difference between “keeping time” and “feeling the beat.” A metronome keeps time; a musician feels the pulse. Your job is to internalize that pulse so strongly that you can push against it (rubato) without losing it.

Appears in these guides

The Buzz Is Probably Not Your Piano
One Note Out of Tune on Your Piano
100 Must-Play Piano Bar & Dueling Piano Songs
Why Pianos Are Never Really in Tune
How Old Is My Piano? Finding the Serial Number and Reading the Year
Recording Piano in the Studio: Best Microphones and Placement

← Basso Continuo All terms Beats (acoustic) →

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