Pulse and rhythm

Pulse is a steady beat like a ticking clock or your heartbeat. It can be measured in time by counting the number of beats per minute (BPM). Rhythm is the pattern of long and short sounds as you move through the song.

1. What does the rhythm of the pulse mean?
2. Why is pulse and rhythm important?
3. What is the basic pulse of rhythm called?
4. Is the rhythm of a song a steady pulse?

What does the rhythm of the pulse mean?

The rhythmical throbbing of arteries produced by the regular contractions of the heart, especially as palpated at the wrist or in the neck.

Why is pulse and rhythm important?

[Pulse is] an important part of musical experience. Not only is pulse necessary for the existence of meter ["there can be no meter without an underlying pulse to establish the units of measurement"], but it generally, though not always, underlies and reinforces rhythmic experience.

What is the basic pulse of rhythm called?

Beat refers to the underlying pulse of the music. Most music has a steady, recurring beat to it.

Is the rhythm of a song a steady pulse?

The beat is the steady pulse that you feel in the tune, like a clock's tick. It's the beat you'd naturally clap along to, or tap your foot to. The rhythm is the actual sound or time value of the notes, which in a song would also be the same as the words.