Rhythm is built from a few core ideas:

• Beat — the steady pulse underlying the music. It is what you tap your foot to
• Tempo — how fast or slow the beats occur, measured in beats per minute (BPM)
• Meter — how beats are grouped. 4/4 time (four beats per measure) dominates Western pop; 3/4 time gives you a waltz
• Syncopation — accenting beats that are normally weak, creating unexpected grooves. This drives jazz, funk, and hip-hop
• Polyrhythm — two or more rhythmic patterns played at once. West African drumming is built on layered polyrhythms

Every genre has its own rhythmic signature.