Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum quarter notes, eighth notes, 16rh notes, rhythm makes me crazy

Forgive the long subject line but trying to learn the correct rhythm at my lesson on Tuesday made me wanna cry.

As usual I can hum the melody to Armes Waisenkind before I can really play it and it's really a very nice piece - I've just started working on it so it's hands separately . We have gone over the left hand and I now understand learning hands separately.

One e and two e or however it goes or tiri tiri something or the other boggles the mind. Think I'll have a couple of glasses of wine.

Back to the drawing board thanks for reading this long-winded post.

musdan - most of us here can "feel your pain" when it comes to getting a grip on rhythm - it does make you a little crazy in the beginning (in fact there was a little known composer some years ago who wrote a pop song about this whole rhythm-learnimg process called "Crazy Rhythm" - I think his name was Geogre something-or-other).

Anyway - keep working on it - you'll get it.

And your post was not long-winded. Just casually read thru just about any thread here in the various Forums - you'll see long-winded. Compared to what you'll find you're a "piker" (vociferousness - like skillful piano playing - only comes with long, hard practice )

Regards, JF

Does the song you are referring to make claim to never dancing again? If so, that is one of my favorite pop songs.


musdan,

I must’ve missed the long winded part!!

As JF said, stick with it, you will eventually get it. And never underestimate the power of playing only a few measures, painstakingly slow, over and over, to ingrain the rhythm into your brain. If you haven’t already tried it, take a small chunk, like a couple of measures or a phrase, and try repeating it 50 times. Maybe on your first attempt you might only be able to play it 5 times or less in a span of 30 minutes. A few days later you might get several repetitions in 5 or 10 minutes. Next thing you know, you will have finally deciphered the rhythm and you can move on to another section. At least that’s how it usually works for me.

I definatley feel your pain. I just went over something like this with my teacher at my last lesson. One measure had a combo of quarter,eight and sixteenth notes. I told her logically I can explain that two eight notes = a quarter notes etc. But when I see all those different notes together my brain shuts down and when I try to play it-its like a rubbing the belly/patting the head kindof of thing. At first glance I just couldnt immediately see how that combination of notes could add up to 3/4 timing. I'm also dyslexic so that doesn't help matters much either.

She very calmy explained how to figure out when each beat would come in. Which was nice because my teachers in the past seemed to let this stuff slip by. One would tell me it was wrong but not tell me how to correct. Slowly but surely it is sinking in.

My vocal teacher had me put pencil marks on the beat in the measure (so the three lines for 3/4 time for example) that help to see better where the notes (other than quarter notes) fall into place.

The thing my other piano teacher had me do is a little to hard to explain without a visual.

Hang in there!!!

Thanks for all your support - wonder if using the metronome would help - don't know what to set if for if I did use it.

I thought I had it right at my lesson, it seems sometimes I was right and other times not - so its got me caught in the middle. I have a cd Album for the Young, Angela Brownridge is the pianist, the only thing that did for me is leave me humming the melody. It's a great piece. Have to find Crazy Rhythm.

Sometimes leaving it alone and come back to a piece helps - tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a good day to take a break and I hope you and your families enjoy the day.

The name of the song is Fascinatin' Rhythm.

You set the metronome to whatever speed you can play at comfortably and then gradually speed it up. I used to hate the metronome. But, now I just try to see it as a valuable tool.

Yes, that's the song! Not "Crazy Rhythm" Maybe it's so fascinatin' it's crazy! :p

By Ira's brother George.

But, not to be confused with "I've Got Rhythm" by whats-his-name, which musdan claims he hasn't got.

Regards (and wondering why rhythm is spelled that way), JF

Set the metronome to super duper I can't believe I'm trying to play it the ultra slow. Have one tick be an eigth note or sixteenth note if you have to. Make sure you are playing on or anticipating the click, not playing after.

Also count EVERYTHING. Counting needs to be so automatic that that it takes no concentration and this will only happen if you practice.

Clap the rhythms each hand seperately. Dance the rhythms if you can. The more you internalize the rhythms the easier it will be. Think about what good rhythm dancers have. This is why.

Don't think that you are acting silly or stupid by doing this. These are very smart and quick ways to solve rhythm problems.

Rich

Dragon Player I've studied dance for many years and all my teachers have said that I'm musical - I think rhythm is in my feet - someone said you have two feet and ten fingers. If it wouldn't give my neighbors agita, I'd tap it out.

John, Gershiwn's "I Got Rhythm" wish it would happen - I was referring to finding the music to "Crazy Rhythm" -my guess is that someone has recorded this music and it's on CD.