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Learning to hear the different beats in music is like learning a new language. For example, when first starting to learn a foreign language, it seems as if all the words run together into one long sentence. However, as we become familiar with the words and get used to listening to the flow, structure, and “beat” of this new language, each word becomes clear and easy for us to identify.
And you know what? Music is a language too! And a very easy language to learn at that. Basically, it has four main “words”: One, Two, Three, Four.
These four “words” – or beats – represent the basic units of timing in music:
One or “First Beat”, is the strongest sounding beat in each measure of music.
Two or “Second Beat”, is a light sounding beat following the strong First Beat.
Three or “Third Beat”, is the next to strongest beat, but not as strong as the First Beat.
Four or “Fourth Beat”, is the lightest beat in the measure or bar of music.
There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Waltz music, for example, has only three beats of music. The first beat is heavily accentuated and is followed by two light beats. The rhythm is: heavy, light, light – heavy, light, light.
HEARING THE MUSIC AND CHOOSING THE DANCE
The first step in dancing to the music is identifying whether the style of the music has an American flavor or a Latin flavor.
American Style songs, like Swing and Foxtrot (e.g. Frank Sinatra style), are easy to identify. The music has a heavy bass drum sound on the First Beat that makes you want to tap your foot down.
Here’s a good exercise to familiarize yourself with moving to the different beats: While standing or sitting, practice tapping the foot on the First Beat and the Third Beat of music. Leave the heel on the floor and lift the front of the foot on the Second and Fourth Beat. After getting comfortable hearing and tapping on the First and Third Beats, start stepping on those beats instead of tapping.
Dances in the Latin Style, of course, tend to have a Latin flavor throughout the music. However, they can have many rhythmic variations within the style. Slow melodious Latin songs, like Rumba, are the easiest to dance and identify. Rather than a feeling of tapping with the foot, the First Beat of the Rumba makes you want to move.
American bands playing Latin music play “easier-to-hear” beats more so than Latin bands because they use drummers. Since most Latin bands do not have drummers, many times you feel more like a “tempo” or a “pulse” rather than hearing a clear beat (e.g. like a wave that carries you or feeling a pulse in someone’s wrist). You’ll find that some dances like Cha-Cha have a strong staccato feeling while others, like Samba, have more of a bouncy feeling.
The best exercise for Latin Music is to listen to a lot of Latin songs. Do not try to hear the beats, or dance to them. Just listen to the music and let your body respond to it as it wants. After a while, all four pulses or “beats” of the music will become very obvious.
And like learning that foreign language we spoke of earlier, hearing the beats in the music requires practice. Remember to listen to dance music and let the music move you, even as you concentrate on other things. There will be two benefits to this practice: the beats will become very obvious to you, and you will develop a very strong sense of rhythm.
Happy listening,
Blanche & Emilio
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Next Issue –
Dancing To Contemporary Songs:
How to Select The Dance That Best Fits The Music Playing.
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