You may think the beat is just the beat and that's it.
Well..... There are many different ways to play the beat, and you do it differently on all the instruments of the percussion orchestra.
Listen and clap or play along.        
1.   Slow   Bass drum   listen             
2.   Med   Shekere       listen                                       
3.   Med   Claves         listen                       

4.   Med   Djembe       listen  Middle side middle side    
5.   Med   Cowbell      listen   Tick Tock Tick Tock          

6.   Med   Bass drum   listen   ONE two three four     

7.   Med   Guiro          listen            
8.   Fast   Tambourine  listen ONE and two and three and  four and

9.   Fast   hand drum    listen    

10.  V.Fast shaker      listen                                           
11.   V.Fast shaker2   listen         

Now listen to them all joining in together. listen

For some instruments like the shakers and the tambourine it is their job to play the beat. They don't stray into rhythms that much so practice keeping the beat on shakers and tambourine.