The Very Essence Of Beats

For centuries now the driving pulse of the drum has commanded dancers of all cultures. It is perhaps the simplest of all the instruments to obtain. Banging two sticks together, hitting on a log, or even splashing water will produce beats.
We enjoy rhythm. Our heart thumps regularly, we breathe in and out, and most repetitive activities seem easier if they are performed at a measured pace.
Three very important aspects of sensory processing are repetition, regularity, and conclusion when it comes to human beings. The predictable and even sounds of a rhythm work with these.
Because of these properties, it is possible to manipulate the expectations of the listener in novel ways. This is the essence of syncopation in that slight aberrations in strict timing result in a subjectively exciting experience.
Over the years, the drum went from being a solo instrument to part of a massed orchestra. Many drummers playing differently sized drums together began to develop the idea of polyrhythm.
The drum ended up as a solo instrument again, at least in the latter part of the twentieth century, and in the most popular way to listen to it. But the idea of polyrhythms was ingrained and unshakable, and no amount of syncopation could make a single drum interesting again.
Rock and Roll music turned out to be the popular thing as far as drums were concerned. Modern drum kits are not solo instrument, and because of this the exciting polyrhythms which we have come to love and enjoy are still perfectly possible to create.
There are essentially two kinds of beats. Completely measured, predictable, and monotonous drumming which creates a sort of stupor or hypnosis, and the exciting dance inducing activity of the polyrhythm. Both have their uses, and both continue to enjoy popularity among nearly all listeners around the world.