Klarinet Archive - Posting 000438.txt from 2003/07

From: "Jay Webler" <webler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Teaching problem
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:03:13 -0400

I use a book called "Winning Rhythms" with my students who seem to have
problems with rhythms.
We count out loud, using the same subdivisions that I use with my percussion
students. On dotted Quarter notes
we will count 1 & 2, while clapping on the first beat. Having said all of
that I am convinced that most Clarinet students
have problems with dotted quarter notes because of an inate reluctance to
internalize rhythm. Using a book like "Winning Rhthms" will help to do
this.

Jay Webler

----- Original Message -----
From: "Patricia Crispino" <clarinetmasterplc@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] Teaching problem

> how about instead of them thinking that a dotted
> quarter note lasts as long as three eighth notes that
> the dot means half the value of the note it is
> dotting. i mean, half of a quarter note is half a
> beat therefore a dotted quarter note is three counts.
> half of a whole note is one full beat therefore a
> dotted half note is three full counts. none of my
> students knew how to really count and i used somewhat
> of a fraction method. 1/2 is half note which means
> half a beat, 1/8 is a sixteenth note and so forth.
> this way they can also read time signatures and be
> able to relate it to whatever is in the piece. having
> them count in subdivision also helps because they
> can't really rush, it's more noticeable because there
> are more things they have to pronounce. quiz them by
> writing random rhythms and having them write the
> rhythm numerically underneath it. that way if it
> doesn't equal the same number of beats as the key
> signature they can try and figure out their mistakes
> and understand why. majority of the time, the reason
> why they can't relate what they 'learned' in that
> particular piece or excerisice is probably because
> they don't quite understand the beat count for each
> written note. a few of mine didn't even really know
> the difference between an eighth note and sixteenth
> note. don't count the rhythms for them, they begin to
> play by ear that way. keep drilling them by giving
> them short written rhythms, have them write it out
> numerically and then count and clap it. it worked
> really well for my kids and they can read music now,
> and if they mess up they realize it themselves and fix
> it. teaching the key signatures and what gets the
> beat works really well, i think rhythm is more of a
> visual thing, show them that 2/2 is two beats of half
> notes per bar. write a two over a half note, it
> helps. good luck to you.
>
> patty
>
> --- Stan Elias <elias1@-----.net> wrote:
> > Collective wisdom,
> >
> > I have a couple of middle-school kids, ages 9 and
> > 11, as students. They are
> > both having a hard time with rhythm, both counting
> > evenly and dealing with
> > the complexities of dotted quarter notes. They both
> > know that a dotted
> > quarter lasts as long as three eighth notes, but
> > they are having trouble
> > translating that knowledge into performance (I have
> > them on the Rubank
> > elementary book). We have tried speaking the rhythms
> > and clapping the
> > rhythms; they have tried to imitate my playing; and
> > I have tried to get them
> > to play simple patterns without reading any music.
> >
> > I tried to get one of these students to learn to
> > count evenly by watching
> > the stepping second hand on a wall clock and
> > counting "1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, . .
> > ." without getting either ahead of or behind the
> > moving hand.
> >
> > I have tried lavish praise when they do it right. I
> > have tried rote
> > repetition when they don't. They still don't get it.
> >
> > What have I missed? What am I doing wrong? Is rhythm
> > recognition and
> > understanding a developmental thing? What have you
> > done that works on
> > particularly tough cases? TIA for your help.
> >
> > Stan
> >
> >
> >
> >
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