Rhythm – What’s Not

on the Page

Lisa S. Schwarzkopf

lisa4bass@hotmail.com

HCNW June 2017 1

Rhythm - What’s Not on the

Page Course DescriptionFeel the groove!

This class will help you expand your rhythmic

vocabulary - including note values, rests, and different

meters - and introduce practical tips for reading and

‘hearing’ rhythms before you sing them.

We will discuss tempo driven songs– fast and slow - and

identify ways to sing them without speeding up or slowing

down.

Come ready to clap, tap and stomp your way through

quarter notes, eighth notes, and triplets… and learn the

importance of subdivisions and feeling the pulse. Basic

music reading skill will enhance your experience in this

class.

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Rhythm Basics -Terms• RHYTHM: Time Factor

• RHYTHMIC ELEMENTS

Downbeats – Stronger emphasis – Beat 1 & 3

Upbeats – Lighter emphasis - usually felt on Beats 2 and 4

Melodic Rhythmic Patterns – Repeated or on-going rhythm

patterns in a piece of music

• PULSE: Also called BEAT

Ticking Clock, Your Pulse…

Metronome generates regular pulse, or BEAT

• METER: Organized Pulses/Recurring patterns of strong and weak

beats. Example:

STRONG-weak-weak (OOM-pah-pah) typifies a waltz

STRONG – weak STRONG – weak (Count: 1 & 2 &) 3

Rhythm Basics - Terms• MEASURES: Music Notation marks out Pulses into sections

(measures) using vertical lines (bar lines). Measures help us see

Downbeats and help us spot groupings of notes in rhythmic

patterns.

• BARLINES: Act as ‘bookmarks‘ throughout the song - This helps

us locate specific spots/sections in the music - especially helpful

when the measures are numbered.

• COUNTING WITHIN MEASURES: Every measure starts with

ONE. Time Signatures tell us how many beats are in each

measure so we know how far to count before starting at 1 again.

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Time Signatures4 / 4 Time also called ‘Common’ Time

4 = Beats per Measure

4 = Quarter Note = 1 Beat

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3 / 4 Time

3 = Beats per Measure

4 = Quarter Note = 1 Beat

2 / 2 Time: Also called ‘Cut-Time’

2 = Beats per Measure

2 = Half Note = 1 Beat

SUBDIVISION:

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MetronomeUSING THE METRONOME:

• Introduce the Metronome to your practice:

• Be prepared to be frustrated – at first!

• Learned Skill: Sing and ‘keep your ear’ on the metronome

• Breaking it Down: Eliminate ‘distractions’

Set Metronome: Lento – Snail!

Walk, clap, then sing warm-up scales/exercises at various

tempos (No Notation/Music)

Sing the song on “ta”

Add Music and Adjust tempo to comfortable speed.

Your Goal: Sing in rhythm at any speed!

Lento - Andante – Allegro – Vivace… 7

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More About TiesWhy Tie Notes?

• Ties make reading rhythms a little easier and helps to ‘see’ the beat

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Tie connects two notes:

Same pitch (notes on same line or

space) Hold the note

Slur connects two or more notes:

Different pitches - sung smoothly

or legato = Swipe – Two different

Notes/Single Word or Word Sound

Altering Note Duration -Dots• A Dot increases the length of a note by half it’s value.

Note Values Without Dots Note Values With Dots

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Other Ways to Show Note Values With Dots:

Counting Rhythms

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Time Signature?

Count: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Clap: X X X X X X X X X X X X

Pick Ups• Think of ‘You are my Sunshine’ The first word starts on what Beat?

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What Beat does this song start on?

What happens to the beats missing in the Pick up measure?

The Pick-up partial measure is often matched by another partial measure at the end

Counting Rhythms – Pick Ups• Count a full 4 BEAT Pulse plus the missing beats of the 1st Measure:

14Ties and Dotted notes help notate ‘Syncopated’ Rhythms…

Syncopated Rhythms• Set the Pulse, Follow Music and:

• Clap in 8th Notes (subdivide to shortest note duration)

• Count aloud (1+2+3+4+) and Clap 8th Notes

• Count aloud and Clap the Rhythm as written

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Listen:

After You’ve Gone

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1…

1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 1…

Triplets• ALL Triplet Notes are of equal length and equally spaced

• The first triplet note starts on the BEAT

Tri-ple-let

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Quarter Note Triplets

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• Half-note divided into three equal parts:

To get the timing and

feel right:

Subdivide

Quarter Note Triplets

‘Freely’Shine On Me: (B♭♭♭♭)

• We don’t always sing the written rhythm or a firm tempo – on

purpose!

• Conversational – ‘How would I speak these words?’

• Space and time should provide meaning – to express the lyric so it is

understandable to the audience.

• Rhythmic ‘Propellant’ implied in ‘Freely’ also called Rubato … with

Implied Rhythmic pattern and Rhythmic flow.

• Equal amount of Ebb and Flow while expressing the lyric and using

the arrangement to tell the story

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Listen:

Shine On Me T

Freely

How to Fix Tempo Problems?• Soft and Loud Dynamics

• Consistent emotional drive. Less focus on Singing LOUD or soft

• Clarify the ‘Meaning and Purpose’ of the emotional energy

• Lower Notes

• Practice scales and arpeggios - With a Metronome

• Syncopation

• Establish the Pulse First – Use a Metronome

• Clap Rhythms

• Rubato/ ‘Freely’

• Recite lyrics – A LOT – think: Public speaking with pauses, emphasize

important words or phrases. What is the story?

• Read Newspaper slowly, deliberately and expressively; Sing it – any

melody. No BEAT/No Groove – ‘Freely’ Find meaningful words.

• Reminder: Rubato or ‘Freely’ does not necessarily mean SLOW. 21

How to Fix Tempo Problems?• Slow, Un-rhythmic Breathing

• Find rests; Plan your breaths as an actual note - ‘in time’ with music

• Range-y Vocal Line –

• Get to know your ‘instrument’

• Practice scales/arpeggios

• Read Dramatic Stories aloud “Finding Dory”

• Many Words /No Words –

• Speak then Sing lyric rhythmically / Subdivide – Use Metronome

• Tempo Changes (Verse to …’Sock Time’ ‘Kick’ line –

• Prepare – add a physical gesture, take a rhythmic breath

• Choreography –

• All Movement to have meaning and follow the musical phrase

• Practice Physical activities in everything you do – Warm ups too!22

Tempo Rushing If Tempo is rushed

Evaluate - Where is the Tempo rushing? Watch for shortened or

‘clipped’ ‘weak’ beats (2 and 4, for ex.) especially in a walking Bass

line

Find a physical movement that helps to ‘manage’ tempo, but ask:

• Does the movement help or hurt the tempo/groove?

Practice at a slower Tempo: Focus on ‘Spaces between the

Notes’

Feel the ‘subdivision’ of the beat applied to the downbeats

Tempo Driven Songs - long notes have to be sung longer, Short

Notes – Longer! To fill the tempo 23

Tempo DraggingIf Tempo is dragging

Think of the music in 1 or 2 beats to a measure.

• Direct yourself: Add some uplifting movement

Feel the downbeats while singing

• Alternate Lyrics and Pulse/Tempo –

Sing your part while other members keep rhythm on ‘Ta’

• Sing the ‘Tempo’ section softly -To Release tense/muscle

involvement and allow you to listen to the Music more closely.

• Tempo Driven Songs - long notes have to be sung longer, Short

Notes – Longer! To fill the spaces

• Use your Metronome24

Tempo Dragging If Tempo is dragging

• Find tricky spots – automatically implement a counting system

so you can ‘analyze and execute’ perfectly “on the fly”

• Instantly know what’s ahead and be prepared for it:

• Sing while eyes read ahead ‘scan’ several notes; make the

calculation in time to sing without slowing down, missing it.

For less experienced players it all happens a lot slower, but

it’s the same process.

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Sing in Rhythm – Summing

Up• INNER CLOCK:

Develop a consistent internal sense – Maintain steady pulsePractice Rhythm exercises, Clap, Say Rhythms aloud, Use Metronome

• SUBDIVIDE THE BEAT:

Whole-note = Divide Beats while holding the note

Eighth-notes = Feel two per pulse

• LISTEN:

Synchronize – Sync up Pulse, Tempo, Dynamics, Interpretation

• EXTERNAL TIMEKEEPERS:

Watch Director; Choreography; Well-placed snaps… Metronome.

• REHEARSE:

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Listen:

Come Fly With Me…

Resources

Resources:

• Therhythmtrainer.com

• Musictheory.net

• Singthespots.com

• Barbershop.org

• Barberpole Cat Program and Song Book Vol. 1. and Vol. 2

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