SIX COMMON EXERCISE STUDY

Single parts These exercises are the most common, and are usually designed to address specific issues or introduce new material. Even on a simple, single-line exercise, always perform musically, interpreting the phrases and gestures in a way that shows you understand the musical structure. Ensembles
(duets and trios) These are intended for more than one performer. Always learn all the parts, and switch parts often in performance.
Speak and clap These are intended for a single performer to speak one part and clap the other. Typically you should speak the top line and clap the lower, but occasionally switching parts is good practice.
Layering These exercises combine repeated patterns or ostinatos in various ways. You can repeat each pattern an agreed upon number of times, or allow the performers to determine how and how often the parts are to be repeated. Occasionally ostinatos are provided for other single line exercises. You may layer these in a variety of creative ways as well. Layering patterns and ostinato rhythms in this way is more akin to certain African and East Asian styles of music.
Improvise in the blanks These exercises have blank measures in which you should improvise rhythm. Try to use rhythms that relate to the exercise. Always pay attention to the music that comes before and after, and make sure your improvised material fits.
Real music These exercises are written on a staff to give practice reading rhythm in a more familiar musical setting. Although these are still primarily rhythm exercises, use the cues of contour and phrasing to give a musical performance. In addition to the rhythm exercises, there are both pre-notational and written exercises. Do these exercises as they occur, and use them as models to create your own supplemental

Other suggestions for practice
Echo rhythm. Speak or clap rhythms to a study partner, and have the partner respond on
Takadimi syllables. This is a very effective way to learn rhythm, and should come before
reading and writing with notation.
Experiment. Include the element of pitch. Singing rhythm on one repeated pitch puts
strain on your voice and is not recommended. But singing on a scale or even improvising a
melody is great practice and strongly encouraged. When singing scales sometimes it is easier
and more sensible to change pitches with each beat or even each measure.
Be creative. Use the exercises in the book as a basis for creating your own exercises. For
example you might add ostinatos or improvised clapping parts where none is given, or consider
the given exercise the first phrase of a two phrase period, and improvise a subsequent
phrase. There are many ways to expand on the framework given in the text. Through play
is a natural way to learn new skills. Think of all you learned as a child just by playing.
Find creative ways to ―play‖ with rhythm. It will make learning fun and effective.
Multi-task. It is fine to work just on the rhythm when learning a new concept or working
out a challenging pattern, but it is important to add other elements to your performance as
you become more proficient. Once you have overcome the technical challenges of an exercise,
always conduct, clap, sing pitches, or do something else to expand your performance.
Rarely in real music do we focus solely on rhythm. Even in percussion music, performers
are thinking about timbre, style, and musical expression, even when playing a single

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