Rhythm Dictation Trainer

How to use the rhythm dictation trainer

1. Pick a time signature, one or two bars, and how many choices you want (3 or 4).
2. Tick the note values to include. Half, quarter and eighth notes are on by default. Add sixteenths, dotted notes or rests when ready.
3. Press Play. You hear one bar of clicks to set the pulse, then the rhythm. High clicks mark the first beat.
4. Tap the notation that matches, or press 1 to 4. Press R to replay.
5. The correct rhythm is marked Heard after you answer, and your pick is marked Your pick.

Tip: tap or clap along with the replay before you look at the choices, and say the rhythm aloud with counting syllables.

Note values and rests

Each note value has a matching rest of the same length. In this trainer the rhythm sits on a single line, so you read duration only and not pitch.

Choosing a time signature

4/4 has four quarter-note beats and a strong first beat. 3/4 has three. 6/8 is a compound meter: six eighth notes grouped into two beats of three, so the click falls on every dotted quarter.

Common questions

Why is there a count-in bar?

The clicks establish the pulse before the rhythm starts. Hearing rhythm against a steady beat is how it is normally read and played.

The choices look alike. What should I listen for?

Compare where the notes start relative to the clicks. Differences often hide in one beat, such as two eighths versus a dotted eighth and a sixteenth.

How are the wrong choices made?

Each wrong choice is a different rhythm of the same length that uses your selected note values, so the bar always adds up exactly.

Can I practise with a slower tempo?

Yes. Choose 60 BPM for quarter-note beats. Slow playback makes sixteenths and dotted rhythms much easier to separate.