In music performance and music theory, the downbeat is the first beat of a measure in music, the impulse that occurs at the beginning of a bar in measured music. It is named after the downward stroke of the director or conductor's baton at the start of each measure. This differentiates it from the back beat on the even beats. James Brown’s signature funk groove emphasized the downbeat – that is, with heavy emphasis "on the one" (the first beat of every measure) – to etch hi… (More on Downbeat)