BEATING Time, in Music, a method of measuring and marking the time for performers in concert, by a motion of the hand and foot up or down successively and in equal times. Knowing the true time of a crotchet, and supposing the measure actually subdivided into four crotchets, and the half measure into two, the hand or foot being up, if we put it down with the very beginning of the first note or crotchet, and then raise it with the third, and then down with the beginning of the next measure; this is called beating the time; and, by practice, a habit is acquired of making this motion very equal. Each down and up is sometimes called a time or measure. The general rule is to contrive the division of the measure so, that every down and up of the beating shall end with a particular note, on which very much depends the distinctness, and, as it were, the sense of the melody. Hence the beginning of every time or beating in the measure is reckoned the accented part thereof.