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RHYTHM EXERCISES   

Three stages are essential to the memorizing of a rhythm part or a rhythmic formula. First of all it is necessary to...

...BE AWARE OF RHYTHM

For teaching reasons we will start with the QUARTER, HALF and WHOLE NOTES (respectively one, two and four times). To become aware of these three values we will use " Jingle Bells " as a mnemonic support (see figure IX).

QUARTER, HALF AND WHOLE NOTES

CAUTION : The tablature and the standard musical notation stave do not correspond, for you must play only the rhythm part of the song but not the notes. This remark remains valid for all the following exercises.

Figure IX.

TRANSFER ON THE INSTRUMENT

You cannot not know this song.
Sing the song while simultaneously playing its rhythm on the low E string (open string). I.e. that on each syllable of the song you attack the low E string.
When you think you feel each note duration try to replay the rhythm requested reading it on the stave, trying to be able to reproduce it without the mnemotechnical support, which leads you at the last stage...

READING RYTHM

Reproduce the rhythm parts which you have just learned (with quarter, half and whole notes) by playing the following exercises on the low E string (see figure X).

Figure X

Note : if you are afraid of getting lost while reading, you can count the duration of the values while playing them (1 count for the quarter note, 2 counts for the half note and four counts for the whole note).

WORK SHEET

Here, it is rather easy, isn't it ? And you can proceed in the same way for the other rhythms values :
  1. Understanding/feeling of the rhythm thanks to the given example.
  2. Transfer on the instrument.
  3. Deciphering of the suggested exercises using the Guitar.

Recall : this study will approach only the rhythms and measures used in this method.

 

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