Developing Rhythm

[arnuphal]

Are there any studies or techniques (aside from simply playing with a metronome) for developing good rhythm/steady tempo?

For example, I've heard that Pilafian's students carry around egg shakers to play with the radio while in the car. Anything else, with or without your instrument?

[Mudman]

Dance lessons. If you attend university, take "social dance." An easy credit, and a great way to meet people!

Being able to move your body (especially hips) to music goes a long way to helping you develop good rhythm.

There are stories of football teams being made to go through ballet classes to improve coordination.

[Chuck(G)]

Many think that studying Dalcroze Eurhythmics greatly improves rhythmic perception. The difficulty is that it's not easy finding a teacher, and complete Dalcroze involves several disciplines, such as solfege and improvisation and--gasp!--singing.

I remember hearing an interview a few years ago with Ravi Shankar. The gist of the rhythm discussion was that boys who are destined to become drummers are started early. Shankar said that by the time they reached adolescence, playing interesting rhythms like 15 against 16 was simple for them. So maybe the trick is to start early.

It was interesting to hear Shankar give an example of counting. None of our one-ee-and-uh stuff--he counted "wuh-uh-uh-un, two-oo-oo-oo" and so on.

[MaryAnn]

What I perceive as rhythm problems in ensembles are almost always really ensemble problems; often times the errant player can play with a metronome but has trouble playing with a group.

I call this "engineer syndrome." Because you run into a lot of amateur musicians who are engineers who have this peculiar inability to play with a group. It seems to be a matter of tunnel concentration....the player concentrates on getting the notes right, puts 100% of his attention on that and then plays to his own internal beat. At some point he may or may not notice that everyone else in the group is off the beat. One violinist MD I knew, would actually start stomping his foot at this point, trying to get everyone else corrected. I kid you not.

But....two things. One is, if you have trouble keeping the beat within an ensemble, play with CDs. A LOT. Play with CDs, reading your part, until you can stay with the group on the CD. Especially sight read your part playing with a CD....don't worry about getting all the notes but do worry about staying with the group. The group won't be hurt if you leave out some notes but it will be hurt if you start playing on another planet.

The other thing, as first a violinist I got used to some pretty hairy rhythms; nothing in a horn part that I've seen, or a tuba part, is comparable in difficulty to those violin parts. So get a hold of a book that teaches complex rhythms (I can't remember the name but there are a couple out there) and just go through it.

This is only partly an answer to the original question and partly just rambling on my part. (but I can ramble along with a CD really well.)

MA, who is herself an engineer

[tubaman5150]

I know Hindemith wrote a series of rhythmic studies that consists of clapping while singing.
Very effective in developing a sense of subdivision.
I wish I knew where to find them, though.

[Gorilla Tuba]

I had a few students last year that were strong players but had a poor sense of time. Not suprisingly, they were also the ones who couldn't get in step in marching band.

The approach we took was recommended by our trumpet teacher, Todd Hastings:

1. Ensure that the stent knows how to count accurately (1e&a, 2e&a, etc). I used simple clapping and counting of rhythms to diagnose problems.

2. Tap your foot. Not dainty or soft. Tap Tap Tap Tap! This way I could visually see the student's perception of time.

3. Arban's studies in Syncopation. Repeat many times.

In short once I determined that the students understood time from an intellectual standpoint, we had to really "internalize" the time. Arbans with the foot has worked well in my studio. Within a month the students had a much better sense of time.

[MaryAnn]

Since the conductor never addressed the problem, I played the "dress" rehearsal and performances with the horns ("like the record").

bloke "who sometimes does not play in ensemble during rehearsals to help bring problems to light, but who retreats if those problems are not addressed by the conductor"

Ah, proving that discretion is the better part of valor. Some conductors have learned, also, not to push the point if they can't get it across the first time. Others push people right out of the orchestra.

The 1st horn that I play 2nd to has a tendency to drag the tempo, but his intonation is excellent so he is not impossible to play with.

MA