Downbeat
The first and strongest beat of a bar, typically where the conductor's baton reaches its lowest point.
Category
rhythm
Pronunciation
/ˈdaʊnbiːt/
Origin
English (descriptive)
Length
181 words · 1 min read
About Downbeat
The downbeat is the primary point of metric emphasis in each bar, functioning as the anchor around which the other beats are organised. In a conductor's pattern, the first beat of every bar is indicated by a downward gesture — hence the name.
More rhythm terms
Time Signature
View all rhythmterms →A notational convention indicating how many beats are in each bar and which note value gets one beat
SyncopationDeliberate displacement of the expected rhythmic accent
TripletA group of three notes played in the time normally occupied by two notes of the same value.
HemiolaA rhythmic device in which two bars of triple time are made to sound like three bars of duple time, or vice versa.
BeatThe basic unit of time in music — the regular pulse a listener feels
Synonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →