Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
One of the Best Things You Can Do for Learning How to Keep a Steady Beat
“I’m having a hard time keeping a steady beat.” One of the best things you can do is get a teacher who can help you learn how to keep a steady beat. Also, I have specific strategies that you can use with or without a teacher. Keep reading to learn how it works.

Tips for Keeping a Steady Beat
“I’m having a hard time keeping a steady beat.” I’ve got some tips for you:
- Use your phone to create videos of your teacher playing your music so you can listen to it before you practice. (Or have the teacher make one and send it to you.) Listen to each track at least six times.
- Record yourself playing at home. That way you can hear how your video sounds different than your teacher’s video.
- I use a pointer to help students track the notes and to help them keep on the beat. Your teacher could do something similar.
- Keep at it! I have an adult student who had real problems with the steady beat, but he stuck with it and got results.
In addition, you can use a metronome to help you keep on beat. However, many musicians find them hard to use. Click here for an alternative:

I’m Having a Hard Time Keeping a Steady Beat: What Do I Do if I Don’t Have a teacher?
“I’m having a hard time keeping a steady beat.” When you play, you need to make your music sound like the song. This will be impossible if you can’t maintain a steady beat.
When you listen to a soundtrack, it’ll help you hear what the music should sound like, which’ll make it easier to play.
What do you do if you don’t have a teacher?
- See if your music book comes with a CD or a downloadable mp3 (often an option with guitar and keyboard music books).
- Search YouTube to find your song. Listen to (and play along with) the video. You can adjust the speed by clicking on the settings icon.
Have fun playing!
Related Posts
- What’s a Good Alternative to a Metronome for Practice Sessions?
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
- Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping
- Color Coded Eighth Note Clapping
- Color Coded Quarter Rest Clapping
- Lego Rhythm Manipulatives
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Back to the All-Purpose Music Tips and Topics category blogs page
Geoff will be an Exhibitor at LexSEPTA’s Special Needs Resource Fair
I‘ll have a table at the LexSEPTA Special Needs Resource Fair this Saturday. I will have my Perception Presentation with me, which shows what it’s like to have a learning disability, such as dyslexia or language-based learning disability. See you there! Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Read MoreSongwriting – Let Her Scream
Do your lyrics lack powerful emotions? Do you want to learn how to write using stronger images? Take Mark Twain’s advice, “Don't say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” The first of Twain’s sentences uses abstract language, but the second uses concrete images instead. Simply put, when you describe a scene, you need to show it rather than tell it. "Songwriting - Let Her Scream" shows you how. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read MoreDo People with ADHD Have Difficulty Playing from Sheet Music?
Are you a parent or a music teacher of an ADHD student who struggles with reading music? Though many people with ADHD have a hard time reading music, multisensory teaching methods can help! Click to answer the question, “Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet music?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read MoreIs There a Difference in Difficulty for Singing Specific Vowels?
Is there a difference in difficulty in singing specific vowels? Yes, some vowels will be easier to sing in tune, and others will be easier to sing with a strong tone. Click to understand why there is a difference in difficulty for singing specific vowels, and how to do something about it. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Read More