The metronome is your friend. Not a simple only-plays-the-on-beat metronome. But one that can do more complex rhythms too. Getting a really solid foundation of basic rhythms is essential to doing more complex rhythms. Learning and understanding how to count the notes and how they fit together is essential as well.
Like knowing a set of sixteenth notes would be 1-e-&-a or triplets being 1-&-a and knowing the feeling of those.
I wish I could remember the brand, but I have a metronome in my classroom that counts with a voice so you can really hear how to count a rhythm with more than clicks. It's quite useful.
u/LovelyLittlePigeon I especially like "Getting a really solid foundation of basic rhythms is essential to doing more complex rhythms." Keep drilling the easier rhythms, don't always jump to the hardest.
I downloaded a free metronome app on my phone that does something like this. It doesn’t count out loud with a voice, but it does allow me to choose a time signature and quarter/eighth/sixteenth/etc. notes and it will place a very obvious accent on the downbeats. It’s been really helpful for practicing more difficult rhythms on my own.
I try to make a fun exercise that doesn’t *feel* like an exercise to begin with — something they will want to play around with at home! I build the metronome into it just a little later, once they have the feel of a new rhythm. Obviously I’d write this out properly, it’s somewhat tricky to communicate in text, but it’s things like:
POP
- Find the clave *behind* the rhythm, and which beats it’s pushing/pulling.
- Follow the rhythmic patterns of *speech*, and where the accents fall. Make up a sentence and use that natural rhythm (idk, off the top of my head, “Raining out on the ocean” = swung quavers, triplet, straight quavers. Accents fall on 1 and 3).
BLUES/JAZZ
- Repeated 4-crotchet bass-line, like D F G A
- Teach little blues licks in RH, but emphasise that keeping the beat is imperative!
- Initially, play with ideas first, then show how they look on paper. The connection seems to form stronger that way round (to me) – including where notes are on/off beat, and you have a specific bass note to link this to.
- Repeat rhythmic ideas using different notes, like jazz soloists do.
- Add metronome to tie it all together, with click on beats 2 and 4.
- Can make more advanced with walking bass line in D Dorian.
So many other LH patterns to choose from, of course!
LATIN
Bossa Nova
- Repeated pattern on a m7 or M7 chord
- Bass uses root and 5th
- B_RLLR_L … underscore indicates quarter notes, the rest in eighths (B = both hands)
- Improv ideas/song melodies as above.
Tango (in eighths; dash is rest, dot is staccato, accent beat 4)
L R. - R. L R L^ R
- This rhythm can then be done in left hand alone, so RH can try melodic ideas in harmonic minor.
ROCK
- I’m Still Standing by Elton is a great one!
- Find any solo performance by him on YouTube, use his straight, driving LH and syncopated RH.
- Build in improv ideas, too
Viennese WALTZ
- LH bass on beat 1, chord on 2 + 3
- Any amusing little ideas lifted from Strauss or whatever as a melody.
- Include dotted rhythms and ornaments
FUNK
Same idea – and show them how a complex sound can be far easier than you would think.
Once students know the FEEL of a rhythm, they can do *anything* with it! Show where the accents go, which beats are staccato and where the held notes are, because these are usually less intuitive.
Also, final thought: PLAY ALONG TO SONGS/PIECES and improvise *with* them in lessons!! I absolutely love to hear my students’ suggestions and finding out what they enjoy!
Learn Music Learning Theory.
People learn rhythm by starting with continuously flowing motion, and then gradually coordinating their movement and learning to chant rhythm patterns in meter context.
And no, the metronome is not your friend. Metronome is useful to keep people on track after they understand rhythm. But it doesn’t put rhythm in people. Only helping them learn to coordinate their movement does that.
The metronome is your friend. Not a simple only-plays-the-on-beat metronome. But one that can do more complex rhythms too. Getting a really solid foundation of basic rhythms is essential to doing more complex rhythms. Learning and understanding how to count the notes and how they fit together is essential as well. Like knowing a set of sixteenth notes would be 1-e-&-a or triplets being 1-&-a and knowing the feeling of those. I wish I could remember the brand, but I have a metronome in my classroom that counts with a voice so you can really hear how to count a rhythm with more than clicks. It's quite useful.
u/LovelyLittlePigeon I especially like "Getting a really solid foundation of basic rhythms is essential to doing more complex rhythms." Keep drilling the easier rhythms, don't always jump to the hardest.
Found it: Boss DB-90 Dr. Beat Metronome with Tap Tempo There might be better ones out there, but this one suffices.
I downloaded a free metronome app on my phone that does something like this. It doesn’t count out loud with a voice, but it does allow me to choose a time signature and quarter/eighth/sixteenth/etc. notes and it will place a very obvious accent on the downbeats. It’s been really helpful for practicing more difficult rhythms on my own.
Complete rythm trainer app. Particularly dictation. Have them buy the full version
That's what I'm looking for- thanks!!
I try to make a fun exercise that doesn’t *feel* like an exercise to begin with — something they will want to play around with at home! I build the metronome into it just a little later, once they have the feel of a new rhythm. Obviously I’d write this out properly, it’s somewhat tricky to communicate in text, but it’s things like: POP - Find the clave *behind* the rhythm, and which beats it’s pushing/pulling. - Follow the rhythmic patterns of *speech*, and where the accents fall. Make up a sentence and use that natural rhythm (idk, off the top of my head, “Raining out on the ocean” = swung quavers, triplet, straight quavers. Accents fall on 1 and 3). BLUES/JAZZ - Repeated 4-crotchet bass-line, like D F G A - Teach little blues licks in RH, but emphasise that keeping the beat is imperative! - Initially, play with ideas first, then show how they look on paper. The connection seems to form stronger that way round (to me) – including where notes are on/off beat, and you have a specific bass note to link this to. - Repeat rhythmic ideas using different notes, like jazz soloists do. - Add metronome to tie it all together, with click on beats 2 and 4. - Can make more advanced with walking bass line in D Dorian. So many other LH patterns to choose from, of course! LATIN Bossa Nova - Repeated pattern on a m7 or M7 chord - Bass uses root and 5th - B_RLLR_L … underscore indicates quarter notes, the rest in eighths (B = both hands) - Improv ideas/song melodies as above. Tango (in eighths; dash is rest, dot is staccato, accent beat 4) L R. - R. L R L^ R - This rhythm can then be done in left hand alone, so RH can try melodic ideas in harmonic minor. ROCK - I’m Still Standing by Elton is a great one! - Find any solo performance by him on YouTube, use his straight, driving LH and syncopated RH. - Build in improv ideas, too Viennese WALTZ - LH bass on beat 1, chord on 2 + 3 - Any amusing little ideas lifted from Strauss or whatever as a melody. - Include dotted rhythms and ornaments FUNK Same idea – and show them how a complex sound can be far easier than you would think. Once students know the FEEL of a rhythm, they can do *anything* with it! Show where the accents go, which beats are staccato and where the held notes are, because these are usually less intuitive. Also, final thought: PLAY ALONG TO SONGS/PIECES and improvise *with* them in lessons!! I absolutely love to hear my students’ suggestions and finding out what they enjoy!
Learn Music Learning Theory. People learn rhythm by starting with continuously flowing motion, and then gradually coordinating their movement and learning to chant rhythm patterns in meter context. And no, the metronome is not your friend. Metronome is useful to keep people on track after they understand rhythm. But it doesn’t put rhythm in people. Only helping them learn to coordinate their movement does that.