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Rhythm & Meter

Counting Rhythm

Definition

Counting rhythm means saying the beats and their parts out loud, such as 1 & 2 & or 1 e & a, while you read or play, so that every note and rest starts in exactly the right place.

Counting is the most reliable tool for reading rhythm. You speak a steady stream of numbers and syllables that marks each beat and its parts, and you place each note on the syllable where it starts. Because the counting never stops, rests and long notes get their full value, and tricky rhythms fall into place.

Two treble-clef examples with counts under the notes. In 4/4: a quarter note C5 (1), eighth notes D5 E5 (2 &), sixteenth notes F5 E5 D5 C5 (3 e & a), a quarter note G5 (4); then a dotted quarter E5 (1), an eighth D5 (&), an eighth-note triplet C5 D5 E5 (3 trip let) and a quarter note C5 (4). In 6/8: eighth notes C5 D5 E5 (1 & a), a quarter note F5 and an eighth note E5 (2 a), then dotted quarter notes D5 and C5 (1 2).
Each note gets the count of the moment it starts. In 4/4: a quarter note on 1, eighth notes on 2 &, sixteenth notes on 3 e & a, a quarter note on 4; then a dotted quarter note held from 1 through 2, an eighth note on its &, a triplet on 3 and a quarter note on 4. In 6/8: three eighth notes on 1 & a, then a quarter note and an eighth note on 2 and its a.

The standard counting system

In 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4:

  • Beats get numbers: "1, 2, 3, 4".
  • Halves of the beat (eighth notes) get "&": "1 & 2 &".
  • Quarters of the beat (sixteenth notes) get "e" and "a": "1 e & a", said "one-ee-and-uh".
  • Thirds of the beat (triplets) get "trip-let": "1-trip-let". Some teachers use "1 & a" or "1-la-li" instead.

In compound meters such as 6/8 there are two common habits. You can count the beats and their thirds, "1 & a 2 & a", or count every eighth note, "1 2 3 4 5 6", with the beats on 1 and 4.

How to count a rhythm

  1. Find the time signature and decide which note gets the beat.
  2. Write the count under each note, where it starts. Put a rest's count in parentheses, like (3), and give no count to a note that a tie runs into.
  3. Say the full count steadily, every syllable, and clap or play only on the written ones.
  4. Start slowly, with a metronome if you like, and keep counting through rests and held notes.

The Write the Counts worksheets practice exactly these steps: quarter and eighth notes in Write the Counts, sixteenths in Write the Counts 2, triplets and ties in Write the Counts 3, and compound time in Write the Counts 4.

Other counting systems

Many teachers use rhythm syllables instead of numbers. Kodály-based teaching uses syllables such as "ta" for a quarter note and "ti-ti" for two eighth notes. Another system, Takadimi, gives each position in the beat its own syllable, such as "ta ka di mi" for four sixteenth notes. These systems describe the sound of a rhythm rather than its place in the bar, and many musicians use them alongside counting.

Common counting mistakes

  • Stopping the count during a rest.
  • Cutting long notes short because nothing seems to be happening.
  • Speeding up in easy passages and slowing down in hard ones.

Counting aloud at a steady tempo cures all three. See also subdivision, the skill of feeling these smaller counts inside each beat.

Common questions

What do e and a mean when counting rhythm?

They mark the sixteenth notes between the beat and its &. Each beat is counted "1 e & a": the number on the beat, "&" halfway through, and "e" and "a" a quarter and three-quarters of the way through.

Should I count out loud?

Yes, especially when you are learning a new piece. Counting aloud makes it obvious when you skip a rest or rush a long note. Once the rhythm is secure, you can count silently.

Practice it: free worksheets