Klarinet Archive - Posting 000035.txt from 1999/09

From: Kristin Jordheim <jordheimco@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Another teaching Question (rhythm)
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 23:06:58 -0400

> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 12:28:25 -0700
> To: "Klarinet List" <klarinet@-----.org>
> From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
> Subject: Another Teaching question (rhythm)
> Message-ID: <NDBBJHLKCLLKHJMPAMBMCEIHCBAA.benmaas@-----.com>
>
>
>
> I have a student who just entered 7th grade.
> HOWEVER, he has absolutely no sense of pulse, time, beat,
>
> Over the past few
> months, 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. He is consciencious, but the fact is he can't follow the
metronome to save
> his life. If the horn is in his hands (not in his mouth), he can
hardly
> even count with the metronome.
>
>What a challenge! In a life threatening emergency, do not hand him a
metronome. :) Silliness aside -give me some more observations to help me
assess this matter.
Visually the musical notation means nothing to him rhythmically. This
is of my least concern at the moment.
He seems to have some positive aural acuity since he has to use his ears
in good tone production.
Does he like rock, marches, folk dances? What music, if any is in his
daily life? Can he march in time to a recording? I'm trying to figure
out where the rhythm lies in him. It is inside somewhere - he has a
pulse. Sometimes kids do not develop rhythm because of lack of exposure
and sometimes because it is not set free. What activities does he do
that are rhythmical? Swimming, running or bouncing a basketball all have
a rhythm.
Counting numbers in sequence get in the way for someone who doesn't even
recognize how to feel a beat. I have one student "ta" with the beat as
if tounging her flute while she learns a piano piece. Beating a hand
drum while I play the rhythm can help.
Talk with the kid. Find out what draws him to music, what his
perception of the situation is. It is not a problem - it is a process
in development and at his age he may be able to give you some insights.
Kristin

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