Other forms: downbeats
The downbeat is the first and strongest beat of a bar. On the downbeat, the conductor's downbeat, land on the downbeat.
It is named from the conductor's hand, which falls on it — the beat you can see as well as hear. Placing the emphasis elsewhere is what makes music swing or syncopate. As an adjective, downbeat means gloomy or subdued, which is a separate sense with no musical logic to it.
1noundownbeatThe first and strongest beat of a bar.
“The conductor raised his baton, and the orchestra came in on the downbeat.”
2adjectivegloomyGloomy or subdued.
“The minister was downbeat about the economy and warned of hard times ahead.”
downbeat is a musical beat.
Down plus beat, from the downward stroke of a conductor's hand on the first beat of a bar.
From down + beat.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Music & Instruments