5/4 has five quarter-note beats per bar. It is often felt as a group of three followed by a group of two, which gives it a limping, restless swing.
Count all five beats out loud the first few times. The most common mistake is to drop back into four.
| Figure | Count | Kodály syllables |
|---|---|---|
| Five beats | 1 2 3 4 5 | ta ta ta ta ta |
| Felt as 3 + 2 | 1 2 3 1 2 |
Space starts the highlighted exercise and taps the rhythm · Enter plays it · or tap the card on a phone.