Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Beating time

Beating time. That motion of the hand or foot used by the performers themselves, or some person presiding over the concert, to specify, mark, and regulate the measure of the movements. If the time be common, or equal, the beating is also equal-as, down, left, right, up, or one down and one up ; if the time be triple, or unequal, the beating is also unequal - as, down, left, up, &c.