Listening tools
Beat and tempo: find the pulse before counting the numbers
A beat can mean the pulse you follow or a drum pattern someone has made. Separate those uses, then explore what tempo tells you—and what it leaves out.
A little closer to the music
Find your next listening question
Sounds and instruments
Hear the orchestra one family at a time
Strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion offer a starting point for hearing an orchestra. Listen for one sound at a time, and leave room for the details you cannot yet identify.
In the audience
A concert programme is a map, not homework
Before the lights settle, a few details in the programme can help you find your way through an orchestral concert. Start with the order, the performers and the movements.