Rhythm Trainer
Listen to the rhythm and tap the notation card that matches what you hear.
Hear a rhythm, then find it on the page
Rhythm Trainer plays a short rhythm and shows four notated options. Pick the one that matches what you heard. This builds the link between sound and notation that sight-reading depends on. Once you can recognize a rhythm by ear, you start to hear written rhythms in your head before you play them.
Every question starts with a count-in so you feel the pulse first. Replay the rhythm at regular speed (84 BPM) or slow (56 BPM) as often as you like. After you answer, you can play any of the four options to hear how the wrong ones differ.
How to practice
- 01Listen once all the way through while tapping the beat on your leg.
- 02Say the rhythm back on a neutral syllable like "ta" before you look at the options.
- 03Rule out any option that doesn't match the first beat, then compare the rest.
- 04After answering, play the options you rejected so your ear learns the difference.
- 05Move up a level or try a new meter once you get 8 out of 10 without using Play Slow.
What to listen for
Most mistakes come from rhythms that start on the same beat but divide it differently, like two eighth notes versus a dotted eighth and a sixteenth. Listen for where each note starts, not how long it rings.
Rests matter as much as notes. A quarter rest on beat 3 is silence you have to count through. In 6/8, feel two big beats, each split into three, rather than six small ones.
Who it's for
Beginning and intermediate band students in any section who are working on rhythm reading. It also works as a quick, self-checking warm-up for directors to assign before rehearsal or for home practice.