Group Equal Beats

Supplied materials

• Paper and a pencil, or typed notes. Draw pulse marks, group them, and label the starts.
• Example: A rhythm plan has 4 equal pulses grouped in sets of 2. How many complete groups are present? Choices: (A) 1 group (B) 2 groups (C) 3 groups (D) 4 groups.
• Try this: A rhythm plan has 9 equal pulses grouped in sets of 3. How many complete groups are present? Choices: (A) 2 groups (B) 3 groups (C) 4 groups (D) 5 groups.

Learn the idea

A beat group has a stated number of equal pulses. Divide the total number of pulses by the group size to count the groups. Keep the spaces between pulses equal when you mark group starts.

Look at the example. The group starts are [1, 3]. Each complete group has 2 pulses; 4/2=2 groups use all 4. Mark group starts more strongly without changing pulse spacing.

Use every pulse in the count. A marked group start is only one pulse in its group.

1. Read the example with four pulses in groups of two. Mark where each group begins.
2. Compare two complete groups with one group. Explain which count uses all four pulses.
3. Try the check question and the three practice questions. Then read the feedback.
4. Draw twelve equal pulse marks, group them in threes and label each group start.
5. Check your work. Four groups use all twelve pulses; each contains exactly three marks.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Try a new example: A rhythm plan has 15 equal pulses grouped in sets of 3. How many complete groups are present? Choices: (A) 4 groups (B) 5 groups (C) 6 groups (D) 7 groups. Answer: 5 groups. The group starts are [1, 4, 7, 10, 13]. Each complete group has 3 pulses; 15/3=5 groups use all 15. Mark group starts more strongly without changing pulse spacing. Make your own: Draw twelve equal pulse marks, group them in threes and label each group start. Check your work: Four groups use all twelve pulses; each contains exactly three marks.

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