I just noticed that Dancevision.com has a couple of things specifically designed to help learn to hear the beat:

"American Style Rhythm Fundamentals of Timing" by Chris Morris (video)

"Salsa On the Beat" a CD that plays a song repeatedly, adding insturments each time, so you can learn to hear which instruments are carrying the beat

Haven't tried either, but they look interesting.

Here are my tips... hope they help.

Most men when they first hear the music get confused because they hear all the beats. It isn't that he can't hear it, he just has trouble distinguishing it from other things going on in the song.

1. have him tap out any beat he hears when he is listening to music... driving in the car or at home. He is practicing hearing the beats now.

2. Have him count out loud while he practices. this clears his head and gives him a rhythm

3. Follow no matter what. Women have to remember that they have extra thinking time to find the beat while the man is learning how to lead. When his mind catches up to what he is doing, he'll be able to add the next level.

4. Give him time... rhythm is learned too

I have had the same problem with my partner.

Try letting him listen to music with beats that are easy to follow (a Waltz usually works great), and point out the instruments that carry the beat (90% of the time, the base is easiest, in my opinion, percussion is somewhat harder)

There is a software program Band-in-a-box that is used for accompaniment.

Their web site has a set of audio demos
of their ballroom styles at
http://www.pgmusic.com/styles59.htm

You might find that listening to these helps find the beats. There's no main melody in these tracks, just the backing.

Most beginners don't have problem with hearing the beat so much as they do in finding the one beat. If you can't find the one beat you will never figure out if it is 4/4 , 3/4, 6/8 or whatever, timing. Start with something easy, not a rumba with strong beats on other counts. Get a 4/4 timing song with a very strong one beat. Have him find the one beat and count it. Once he can do that, try a waltz with a strong one beat. After he is successful at that, then start adding the more difficult ones like a waltz that doesn't have a strong one beat, or one where the one beat is not primarily percussive, or maybe a Viennese waltz, which will throw him the first time he tries to count it. After this basic stuff, then try the harder ones. It's like dancing, the first dance you learn is not samba. Start with the easy stuff.

Remember the best place to practice this is while you are not dancing. There are too many other things to think about while you are dancing, other than trying to learn how to count music.

Some excellent advice from above . I would imagine everybody who wrote in have been through this hoop. Find an easy tune for your candidate. Nora Jones singing, Come Away With Me, is a Waltz it has a very distint beat. But listen to the music not the singer. It has a 8 bar introduction and 72 bars of music.Stand feet apart and put the weight from side to side counting 123 on the left and 123 on the right.On the same disk a Rumba can be done to. Don't Know Why. Same princible go from foot to foot counting 4 beats on each foot. This is good practise for any level of dancing. Don't Know Why. has a 4 bar intoduction which we would expect in dance music. Good Luck.

Head to your local "sheet music" store, preferably one that specializes in classical music.

Ask for materials and/or information on local community courses in ORFF or Kodaly music education.

ORFF I think is best as it has a strong rhythmical element but it takes it's simplyfied counting from Kodaly methodology. (Kodaly stresses melody more).

Regardless, there are 1,000s of ORFF rhythmic activities that will definitely help.

Many universities/community colleges offer ORFF methodology classes for education students.

OB

PS: You don't have to be a music student to benefit. Many ORFF classes are designed for elementary generalist education students who have no background in music whatsoever.

OB

Is your partner a begginer? Because if your partner is begginer and you are more experienced you are the one who has to help him in order to find the right beat. If your partner is not a begginer just consider for how long this is happening. Some people can find the beat easier than the others. However it might be so because your partner has technical problems and while he's trying not to make mistakes he can't find the beat. The only way to find out what is happening is to ask your partner and try to find a solution. Partnership is really important.

If you're practicing by yourselves:

1. Turn the bass up
2. Turn the treble down
3. Listen for the bass and bass drum. These will have a heavier sound and should accent the down beat.

OB