Klarinet Archive - Posting 000036.txt from 2004/02

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Rhythmic Help Needed
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 22:25:04 -0500

Dr. Bleich -

I doubt that you could have gotten thru medical school, etc. without being
able to count. And if you can tap your foot to a rousing march, you have at
least some sense of rhythm. Rhythm in music is not all that complicated
(until you get to Brahms) (joke), but you will never learn to play
rhythmically thru "Amsterdam" - the band conductor will not be yelling
"Amsterdam" or some other word at you every time some rhythmic pattern
appears in your part.

Rhythm can't be all that difficult since I learned the basics 70 years ago
when I started studying piano. There may be a teacher on the list who can
give you a lesson by email to get you started studying rhythm correctly, but
I am not a teacher. Also, I'm sure that there are a lot of basic rudiments
of music books out there that the teachers on the list would be happy to
recommend.

Rhythm in music is based on mathematics and not on vocabulary. (This is one
of the reasons that music students do much better in math in school than
their fellow students who are not studying music.) I may be an old
"fuddy-duddy reactionary", but it is my opinion that to properly learn
musical rhythm, you must master the rudiments of music. Trying to learn
rhythm thru words may work temporarily for 5 or 6 year olds who cannot
intellectually grasp the concept of fractions, but for you, Doctor, "words"
will not teach you to play rhythmically. Learning the "code" (rudiments of
music.) is the only answer.

Rhythmically yours,

Gene Nibbelin
Cape Coral, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: hbleich@-----.harvard.edu [mailto:hbleich@-----.harvard.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 1:11 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] Rhythmic Help Needed

Gentlepersons,

I am a beginner who lacks rhythm and can't count. My previous teacher had
words for rhythms. In 6/8 th time, to play a dotted quarter note, an eighth
note, and then a quarter, he told me to think "Amsterdam." He used to say,
"If you can't say it, you can't play it."

My present teacher wants me to play the Rose Etude No. 6 (Book 1, From the
French School). In 3/4 time, it has measures that consist of 16th and 32nd
notes, and 32nd rests, that interleave with measures of 16th notes in
triplet rhythm. My tendency is to slip it all into triplet rhythm.

Does anyone know of words that I can think to help me play this infernal
etude? Words that will beat a 16th note, 32nd rest, 32nd note; 16th note,
32nd rest, 32nd note, etc., without slipping into triplet rhythm?

With much appreciation.

Howard Bleich, MD

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