How Do People Hear Rhythm and How Can You Use That for Your Practice?

Percussion practice can be hard unless you know a little about the way rhythm is perceived. Since playing a percussion instrument like the drums will be all about rhythm, knowing as much as possible from the beginning is essential if you want to buy your own set of drums and start practicing as soon as possible.

 

Rhythm is in all things, and the entire world is built on a rhythmic harmony of beats, from the smallest repetitive patterns to the large “heartbeats” of the Universe. At our own normal scale, rhythm is most easily perceived through repetitive sound. When you go out in nature you’ll often hear various sounds over and over again as the wind blows through the same leaves and branches or the rain causes large drops of water to repetitively fall into a nearby pond.

 

Playing the drums and perceiving rhythm through repetitive actions like beating a drum is no different. Your ear has to become accustomed to listening for repetitive patterns and you need to practice repeating them over and over again in your mind. The best drummers know how to do this innately, but the skill can also be learned through lots of practice. Playing the bongo drums can help you to feel the rhythm, and hear it.  This is precisely why drumming is a beautiful art that just about anyone can engage in.

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