INTRODUCTION
Basics in Rhythm contains nine units of graduated shythm exercises beginning with simple whole and half note
studies and progressing through complex changing:meter exercises. The rhythm "key", which begins each study,
presents important rhythmic material and should be mastered before proceeding to the following exercise.
Practice METHOD
The rhythm exercises in this book are to be clapped and the syllables counted out loud. By counting out loud, the
student will develop a system of “rhythmesyllable association”. This system will enable the student to read thythms at
ht (regardless of the context or historical-style period). Repeat each measure of the rhythm “key” several times, or
until mastered, before playing the rhythm exercise,
FUNDAMENTALS OF RHYTHM
Become familiar with the following fundamentals of rhythm. Mastery of the counting method through diligent practice
will help the student to improve music reading skills.
Nore Values AND RESTS
Notes | Names Notes | Names | Rests
= Whole = | Dotted Whole |=.
a Half = | Boned Halt |=
7] Quarter y "J. | Potted Quarter |}
dW) Eighth 1 d__| Potted Fighth | >
[3 (FD sixteenth 7 J. [Dotted Sixteenth) —
JED] thirtrsecond | 7 KA] tniPEEona |
+ Adot after a note or rest adds half of the value of the note/rest it follows.
mame: din d od dedid
+A second dot alter a note or rest adds half of the value of the first dot.
wari duadtded — diededid
* Alie (curved line) connects two or more notes of the same pitch. Do not play (clap) the second note ofa te,
we
u
TIME SIGNATURES Most music js conveniently organized into measures (groups of beats) which are marked off by
vertical bar lines. Double bar lines are used at the end of a large section of music or at the conclusion of a comp
ats
Terie?
*Attime signature consists of either two numbers arranged vertically or some other symbol. The fop number tells
how many counts or beats there are in each measure; any number may be used. The bottom number tells what kind of
note value gets one count; only the following numbers may be used:
to 2d ad 8d wd sed
* In simple time the beat unit is divisible by two. For example, 3, 4 and so on. The symbol for
4 time or common time is ©. The symbol for & time or cut lime is &
+ In compound time the beat unit is divisible by three. For example, when §, 2 and
lime signatures are used with fast tempos, the dotted quarter note gels one count.
(When §, 8 and # time signatures are used with slow tempos, the eighth note gets one count.)Countinc MetHop
© When the quarter note receives one count (%,3,4,2, etc.),
use the following measure-wise counting method 47 Id oat
(pronounced: one and two and three and four and): Tezesadre
Teese sels a ae
® For the four-fold division of the beat (sixteenth notes) 222 873 «8 4 e
and its variations, use 1 e & a (pronounced: one ee and a) m mM J
Te aa 2@ asd & 4 6
* For the three-fold division of the beat and its variations,
use 123,456 (§, 8, % time when the dotted quarter note receives one count}
Bd. d
+ 2 3 5 6 Te2esesasace
1,?| ° (2a
d4 mh om
6
@
b]
e
* The following examples illustrate how to count in time signatures that use the half
note or eighth note as the beat unit:
ld Wd LT
$0 |S MeD Meu fend ed Ulead ao |
tea eee
Slow tempo
§ Wd £9"9 rrr frit!
28384 ESE
+ A rhythm triplet occurs in masic when three td 4 He
equal note values replace two equal notevaties: | J} JT) Yd) SDT
Seg eee sins
3
® In fast tempos, triplets can be counted but they must be kept equal
woomtcotee dd) 174 win IIT TD oe 7 My dnd IE
earea ear aaUNIT 1
Note AND Rest VALUES:
Whole, half, quarter, eighth
oo J d
METERS: ~
gga
RayTHo Key 1 |
Tada =
. 123 4 423.4 ga a ee |
Remember: Repeat each measure several times or until mastered.
Exercise 1 |RuytHM Key 2
304 1
EXERCISE 2
RHYTHM Key 3.
EXERCISE 3RuyTHM Key 4
Exercise 4
RuytHo Key 5
Dict | imal eee
Tass 1 20°3 48 102384
Exercise 5RuytHM Key 6
Dict
mar 42 3&4 1 28384 18283 4 1823 48
EXERCISE 6
RHYTHM Key 7
ey Ao Oo oion
fade eae ll fe peda ad ae
mat 1 2&3 h4& 1&2R3&4 1&82&3 4& 1&2 3&48
EXERCISE 710
RuytHM Key 8
Wig 1a 23k e 18283 &4 & 1(8)2(@)3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3(8)4(8)
Exercise 8
RHYTHM Key 9
uct Ay
De
an 1&2 & 3 & 1&2 & 3 & Tk 2 & 3 & 1&@ 2&3 &
EXERCISE 9RHYTHM Key 10
Exercise 10
RuytHM Key 11
Dit poo fk
WAR 1828 384R5 & TR ZEOESH 11@)218)3 & 48518) 1H 2H 3(AMAS &
EXeRCcIsE 11UNIT 2
Norte AND Rest VALUES:
Quarter, eighth
Jd
METERS:
ae 8 38-8
RuytHm Key 12
Exercise 1213
Ruytum Key 13
123456 123456 123456 123456
Exercise 13
RHYTHM Key 14
2.3.45 120304
2040303 12
ne
EXercise 14“4
RHYTHM Key 15
Exercise 15
Ruytum Key 16
en
oa
Cle.
23
EXERCISE 1615
RuYTHM Key 17
EXERCISE 17
RHYTHM Key 18
Ea
EXeRcIsE 18UNIT 3
NOTE AND REST VALUES:
Sixteenth
3 J773
METERS:
Fb.
RuyTHo Key 19
5
5
1e@ar 3 4 1 2e&a3 4 1.2 Bea 12.3 ae&a
EXERCISE 19RuytHm Key 20
eseenlianey
TeQazeGas 4 1 2e@odeua4 1 2 Sedadeda — 1e8e2 3-teda
EXERCISE 20
RHYTHM Key 21
CL) FS SS.
ee eae
Tea? &3ehadekas Te@a2 3 4eha5 & 1 283 Aekaseua
ExeRCIsE 21
q=Ss TSE SSWit 1 & 2ekasek
RHYTHM Key 22
cS
1 & 2e8 Tee 2e&
EXERCISE 22
RuytHo Key 23
Se SS
fedeeds sood]
7s
1e& 2e%a3 &
Exercise 23
1e&2e&3eha
1e&2ehase&RuytHm Key 24
pasa
1 Rar & 1 &@ 2 Ba 1 &a2 wa
set
Takes
EXERCISE 24
RuyTHM Key 25
ca Cc CALA AR CB FE oR
@ [-o-2-eaade-oa | [Eeedddddd ae
mes 1 & 2eka3 ha 1 @a2e@a3 & 1&a2&ase&a 1 &a2e&a3 ha
EXERCISE 25 \20
RuyTHM Key 26
Sa
1 &a2zew Te& 2 &a 1 wa2re& 1e& 208
Tea
Exercise 26
RHYTHM Key 27
CaR
fatweaay yaa
108 208 308 1 &a2 &a3 ba 1 @are& 30% 1 @e2ek 3 ha
EXERCISE 2721
RuyTHm Key 28
ait eS = SS == SS
mie ek 2ek) «61 Ba 2ea T)&a 2@&a 1 @ &(a)2 © &(a)
EXERCISE 28
RHYTHM Key 29
viet SS =
man: le&a2e&a le@a2e&a pe&a2ze&a le&a2zeka
EXERCISE 2922
UNIT 4
Note AND REsT VALUES:
Sixteenth
4 ST
METERs:
RHYTHM Key 30
182838 1&2 83 1 2&3 8 1 2838
Exercise 3023
Ruyruo Key 31
Exercise 31
RuyTHM Key 32
occa
14283 485
jada3s 183
EXERCISE 32Ruytum Key 33
oa Fao CPS SS Cao ACLS
Tete
1828384586 1283848568 128345 68 1823485868
EXERCISE 33
RHYTHM Key 34
EXERCISE 3425
RuyTHM Key 35
FACUL ARSE,
TS
EXERCISE 35
CFR =
eo CE Eee er
er.
ivdddtisaved wee dd dde de ad daddodadddddda|
RRS PREC LAO CPP SP ery
= Se Ao
ECL SSF CER Ac,
RHYTHM Key 36
EXERCISE 36
a4
i:
af
BE
is
fe
[
|
EY
El ¢
AE26
Tak
UNIT 5
RuytHmic Device:
Dotted notes and rests
ir
MeTERs:
72488 8 8
RuytHm Key 37
pesos \ ha nl: jp,
Ta ae Silciaae” 18283 &4&
Exercise 37
1e&a2&3K4i
her
Tee
Teka2
RHYTHM Key 38
1a@2% 3 18 2838
EXERCISE 38
RuyTHMm Key 39
a eee
it
Te&a2re&a
EXERCISE 39
1828 3&
a28
RuytHM Key 40
Exercise 40
RHYTHM Key 41
Pea ees 7
4 [pe pe
mas 123456 1283 4 5&6 1:2 384 5 68% 1283 4 5 6&
EXERCISE 4129
RuytHm Key 42
Exercise 42
RuytHm Key 43
cc3
a98
238
rec part
B98
236
Exercise 43,30
UNIT 6
RHYTHMIC DEVICE:
Triplets (quarter, eighth, sixteenth)
Wim
METERS:
3 22°42 8 8
RuytHm Key 44
2 a
1 & a2 1 28 a 1&@arzea
Exercise 44.RHYTHM Key 45
Ted
1&a2@aama 1&a2 38a 1 2&a3
EXercIse 45
2 2 3 at Hieeredy 2
3
RuytHm Key 46
Be ca ee 83 8 ey a8
2 Se A co omar Sa am
i [[ppddadaldelddal] 4
twa 1&a2&a3&a4&a 1Wa2&a3Gasea 1ha2&a3@as&a 1&a28a36a4&a
Exercise 46
Bs a et 8
Bars sa
“8 OA a WBC OBS
vues 132
RuyTHM Key 47
el 33 I oe eee
&
‘Weyala}eals & aa 1a 2(8) (3) a) 4 118) a(2)8(a)3 & a 4 1& a2 Ga 3(8)a(4)Rla)
Exercise 47
3
3 od 3 3
Ie 2 I si
RuytHm Key 48
fee ss 3 2 3
wie eae 3a 8 1k 26 38485 1&2 3804 Sho
Exercise 48
2 2 2 2RuytHm Key 49
38 2
ea aeeeea teat as 1&a2&a3 1822 38a 1a@a2&a3ma
: EXERCISE 49
| 2 2 ’
RHYTHM Key 50
a ggg
ise Fer Fe FaCRa
Takia
18223 485 1283 48a5 18a23&ag5&
or1@az 3 1&2 1283 Thar 18923801280
Exercise 50UNIT 7
RuyYTHMIC DEvIcE:
Syncopation
did
Tied notes
ad
METERS:
ce ¢
Ruytum Key 51
en
on
ee
oe
oe
en
ae
ae
Be
ae
283
g5386 i
eS
Exercise 5135
Ruytum Key 52
i
EXERCISE 52
RuytHM Key 53
Exercise 53RxHyTHM Key 54
ae