Klarinet Archive - Posting 000528.txt from 2003/07

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Student rhythm problem
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003 11:24:44 -0400

James, I'd suggest making lyrics to turn these melodic/rythmic phrases into an
actual song your student can learn to sing Then he has the song in his head
and can sing it in his head as he plays. He will then hear and correct any
rhythnic errors he makes. Everyone can play the notes and rhythms of a song
they already know (on sheet music). I often do this with my elementary band
students - just make up simple lyrics which fit the rhythm and melody on the
spot- and it seems to help. Of course, you, or better yet your student, would
need to spend a fair amount of time matching words and correct numbers of
syllables to the rhythms. But singing is a major aspect of what we want to do
through our medium, the clarinet, isn't it? You could also have him sing the
passage without lyrics, but I'm convinced that lyrics make this a more human,
therefore a more relevant experience for anyone.

Best,

Audrey

James Hobby wrote:

> I've run into a problem with a student that I can't seem to fix.
>
> One of the exercises he was working with had one section that was filled
> with sequences of 8-16th notes followed by 6-8th note triplets. (or that
> pattern reversed) He cannot get it. He comes out of the 16ths and then
> loses the tempo in the triplets. In the reverse, if he comes out of the
> triplets, the 16ths tempo is off. (This is with & w/o a metronome or me
> banging on the stand or even tapping on his head with a pencil.) (He
> doesn't have a problem with 16ths or triplets, alone. Only in this
> combination of one following the other.)
>
> For several weeks, we broke it down into two measure sections. Work 2
> measures. Get it sort of in control. Move on to the next two measures.
> Put the four together. Etc. He's the last lesson of that day, and I've
> gone as much as 30 minutes over, just working on this. By next week, it's
> completely gone. We've counted it out loud. Clapped it. I've even had him
> take his warm-up scales and play the pattern on each note. This works fine.
> Back to the exercise. It's gone.
>
> It's not a question of practice time. He probably practices more than any
> other student in the high school band. And he's had minimal problems with
> everything else. (Except the usual dotted 8th, 16th, that everybody likes
> to rush.)
>
> I'm at wits end with this one -- and so is he. I finally had him put that
> one aside and move on to another exercise, and said we'd come back to that
> in six months, because he was getting very frustrated with it. For when we
> go back to it, does anyone have any suggestions?
>
> Jim Hobby
>
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