Rhythm practice sheet: count, clap and keep the pulse
Free to print and use in a lesson. The count tables remain on paper; use the links for sound. Browser players are free. Extra rhythm lanes in the iOS app require Pro.
1. One pulse, two tempos
Use the tempo lesson player. Set quarter note = 72, then quarter note = 100. Play one note per click, then two even notes per click. Did you change the tempo or subdivide the same beat? Say which before you play again.
2. Count 7/8 as 2+2+3
| Pulse position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group count | ONE | two | ONE | two | ONE | two | three |
| Accent | YES | YES | YES |
Use quarter note = 60 and eighth-note pulses: each small pulse lasts half a second. Repeat four bars without a pause at the join. Move the accents to positions 1, 4 and 6 for 3+2+2. Keep the same seven small pulses.
Eighth-note pulses
Tap a block to change its accent. The full pattern repeats when it reaches the end.
Stopped
3. Fit three and two into one cycle
| Equal grid position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three-note part | HIT | HIT | HIT | |||
| Two-note part | HIT | HIT |
Clap the parts separately, then play one and speak the other. Both parts return to position 1 after position 6. Use the Same cycle example in the polymeter and polyrhythm lesson to check your spacing.
4. Keep a common pulse through groups of four and seven
| Shared eighth-note grid | Group-start positions from zero |
|---|---|
| Four-pulse lane | 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 |
| Seven-pulse lane | 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 |
The next shared start is 28 pulses after the first. At quarter note = 60, that is 14 seconds. Listen to one lane in the Same pulse player, count the other out loud, then switch. These group lengths demonstrate a relationship; musical context determines how to analyse a full piece.
Practice log
| Date | Exercise / grouping | BPM and beat unit | What stayed steady? | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
| ________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
| ________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Teacher check
- Can the musician say what the small pulse represents?
- Do the small pulses stay even when a group has an extra note?
- Can they predict the return before both parts meet?
- Can they keep counting when one click is muted?
Print this page or save it as a PDF with the button above. You may use and distribute this original worksheet in your teaching. Keep the AnyBeat source address on copies so learners can find the free browser players. The explanations linked below include sources and the limits of each example.
Sources and further reading
These sources support the terminology and reference ranges. The counting exercises and practice steps are original AnyBeat examples.
- Open Music Theory: Twentieth-Century Rhythmic Techniques. Samuel Brady and Chelsey Hamm explain asymmetrical meter, changing meter, and simultaneous meters.
Stop fighting the metronome.
AnyBeat lets you build the bar you are actually practising, at any length and any grouping.
Keep practising
Odd meter: how to count 5/4, 7/8 and uneven groups
Learn what odd meter means, count 5/4, 7/8 and 11/8 in small groups, and hear playable examples with the pulse unit made clear.
TheoryAdditive meter: count the groups, hear the difference
What is additive meter? Count 7/8 as 2+2+3, compare groupings in a playable metronome, and build a 6-6-6-7 practice cycle.
TheoryPolymeter vs polyrhythm: hear what stays the same
What is polymeter? Hear 4 against 7 on one pulse, compare it with a 3:2 polyrhythm, and learn exactly when the patterns meet again.
ReferenceTempo markings and BPM: choose a speed you can hear
Adagio, andante moderato, allegro: compare approximate BPM ranges, hear the click, and check which note value the tempo actually counts.