Klarinet Archive - Posting 000028.txt from 1999/09

From: GCalzati@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Another Teaching question (rhythm)
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 21:59:35 -0400

In a message dated 9/1/99 3:29:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
benmaas@-----.com writes:

> we have gotten to the point where he is doing OK with the exercises,
> but if he sees the exact same rhythm in a piece, he falls apart.

I have the student play the piece using only 1 note. I call it playing the
skeleton of the piece. In other words, just doing the rhythm of the song
using only one note.

The problem with rhythm books is that they do only one repetitious rhythm
most of the time in one exercise. Whereas music is actually made up of
various rhythms changing every few measures.

I find that taking away the notes helps considerably. Mark the downbeats for
your student as a visual and have him focus zeroing in on them to make sure
he knows where the strong beats are. Gives him/her something to focus on so
that they will have an idea if they are doing it correctly.

I hope you give this a try!

I do have one student who I'm afraid is hopeless. I have tried every trick I
can possibly think of. However, he improved a great deal over the summer
because we were able to step back from the demands of his marching and jazz
band music and get more to the basics which were lacking.

Good luck,
Georgette Calzati

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