Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 2002/02

From: "Kent Krive" <k.krive@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] What's a good book to practice rhythms?
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 10:23:56 -0500

Investigate the ProArt (Warner Bros.) Rhythm a Day for clarinet. It's a
collection for full band, but all exercises are arranged homorhythmically.
Musically, it's dry as toast, but it does "take the bull by the horns" in
approaching rhythm proficiency development. You get 267 basic rhythms, 14
scales and interval studies. There is a much more recently-published set of
sight-reading books whose title I can't remember, that would be very
helpful... Maybe someone on the list can cite it...

Then, master a rhythm counting system for both simple (i.e. 1,2,3,4;
1&,2&,3&,4&; 1e&a,2e&a,3e&a,4e&a, etc.) and compound (i.e., 1-na-ne,
2-na-ne; 1-t-na-t-ne-t, 2-t-na-t-ne-t, etc.) times; count each exercise to
"show" yourself how it goes (as opposed to having someone else "show" you
how it goes); if you can use your foot to manifest down and up-beats, so
much the better (proficient foot-tappers seem to be better rhythm readers
(sight-readers)). Incidentally, it should go without saying that one's
counting must be within the context of a steady meter.

If part of your problem is keeping a steady beat, the next time you go for a
walk, sing a favorite song to yourself in time to your footsteps. This
demonstrates the steadiness of pulse necessary to effectively utilize any
counting system. Then imagine you are walking at the tempo of your song to
keep the beat steady.

By the time you've involved yourself in the above drill for a few weeks,
you'll find yourself on the way to becoming an independent musician.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Cool Creature" <englishiris@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] What's a good book to practice rhythms?

> I am having problems with my rhythm, does anybody know what's a book to
> build rhythmic fundamentals?
>
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