Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast cover image

What Does a Conductor Really Do?

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

CHAPTER

How to Beat Time

A conductor's job is to make sure all the musicians are in the same place during a performance of any given piece. We do this by beating time, using prescribed beat patterns that all conductors learn in school. Beat patterns are helpful guides, but very few of the greatest conductors in the world follow these beat patterns strictly. Every conductor has a particular style based on their physicality, their musical ideas and their philosophy over what a conductor should really be doing.

00:00
Transcript
Play full episode

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner