"MouseButtonDown" detection, and basic rhythm mechanics (reliable timing)

I'm a beginner in coding and game development.

I would ask these questions discreetly to help discussion be more thorough, but as a new member of the forum I'm worried I might have trouble getting multiple posts approved quickly.

Here's a descriptive example of what I'm looking for:

- element appears, animates for a few moments, becomes primed
- element is held, animates, secondary priming
- narrow window of time the player has to release element
- narrow window of time the player has to engage another element, etc.

Timing does not need to be as precise as a conventional music/rhythm game would require.

Compatibility with touch-screens is greatly prefered but not critical.