Written Piano Music and Rhythm Part 2

Source:Internet    Posted by:Learntopianoonline.com   Date:2009-12-24   Click:

Written Piano Music and Rhythm Part 2
Look at your sheet music and identify the note values. To practice, tap your foot to
establish the baseline rhythm. It should be a steady beat. Clap your hands to the
rhythm of the note values. If it is a whole note, clap once and then do not clap again
until you have tapped your foot three more times. If it is two eighth notes, clap once as
you put your foot down and another time as you pick your foot up.

Try clapping out rhythms of any sheet music you can get your hands on. Often there
will be more than one simple line of music, so you must choose to ignore all but one
line to begin. Clap out one note at a time, which is the only way you could do it anyway.
When you are good at clapping out rhythms, go on to playing notes in rhythm. If you
cannot find music that is simple enough for you to understand, make up some of your
own. Use the staff paper you have purchased or made. Make a 4/4 time signature and
write some measures. Make sure you always put in notes that add up to 4 beats, or
one whole note. You can also use rests, which are notations denoting a pause where
nothing is played at all on that clef.

You can play your composition from your sheet. It may not sound like a song to you,
but the rhythm will be interesting if you have used different note values. It is fun to
make up your own music.

You can use this method to practice the particular aspects of music you are learning.
When you do, you are not forced to search for music that fits the situation. At the same
time, you are practicing coming up with examples of concepts you are trying to learn. It
trains your mind. All along, you can also be testing out what you have learned by trying
to play parts of written music that you have on hand. It can all be a part of the process.