Symbols and Terminology: Rhythm

RHYTHM

is the relation between the notes, the rests, and the basic "beat" of the song. this includes how long you hold a note, how long you rest between notes, and how you count the notes/rests in relationship to the "beat" of the song. learning to COUNT the notes and rests in relationship to the "beat" of the song is rhythm... the movement of sound through time.


a musician must know how to create tunes and possess the sense of rhythm. oo nga you can now play the right notes/keys but if the timing is not right, then music can be meaningless and unpleasant to the ear.



what you can do to achieve steady rhythms:

LOUD COUNTING. maingay na kung maingay pero this helps. i use this technique lalo na pag bata ang tinuturuan ko. i let them do the counting but not as loud as it would make both our ear hurts haha. it really makes our minds comprehend the rhythmic pattern. take note of the time signature first, if it requires you play the notes in 4/4 meaning 4 counts in every measure, then start counting like a grade 1 student repeating the numbers 1 to 4. haha


CLAPPING or TAPPING. eto mas effective para sa'kin. hindi maiiwasan pero may mga times talaga na may sudden changes in the middle of the piece and this is very challenging pero you can get back in rhythm by clapping or tapping. syempre wag pilosopo, 2 kamay mo na ang nagpe-play ng piano so anong parte ng katawan pa ba ang pwedeng gumawa nito kundi paa or kung malakas talaga ang tama mo yung ulo mo ang ipang-tap mo... araykupo!!! hahaha o wag seryosohin langya baka gawin mo nga lelz... just like the LOUD COUNTING method, ganito rin ang gawin mo only yung feet or hands mo ang gagamitin to set the rhythm.


IMAGINARY PIANO. ah ito walang kahirap-hirap gawin lalo na sa mga walang keyboard/piano sa harapan nila... sanay na sanay sa imaginary piano hehehe... ang ibig sabihin lang nito eh imagine as if you're playing the piece. while sight reading palang alam mo na kung saang part ka mag-speed up or slow down, kelan may change ng tempo, etc. etc. akala mo madali lang 'to? naku!!! madali lang siguro magbasa pero pag application na, dun madalas nagkakatalo hehehe ^_^v


USE OF METRONOME. what is a metronome? this is a music tool which helps with your rhythm and tempo. papakinggan mo lang yung parang "ticking sound" pero 'wag kang matakot hindi bomba yun haha. same rin naman ng pag-count ang pinagkaiba lang meron ng nagka-count for you, papakinggan mo lang pero gagamitin mo pa rin ang isa sa 2 method kanina sa taas, either by loud counting or by tapping.

Figure xii.a.
for instance

you can use tapping to count. each notehead will be read as 1-2-3-4 | 1-2-3-4 | 1-2-3-4 since pare-parehas silang quarter notes meaning one ( 1 ) beat each, you'll be counting using the same interval parang yung takbo ng second hand sa relo ganun...

Figure xii.b.
another example: eighth notes naman ang ginamit...

this time, each notehead will be read as "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and |  1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and | 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and" why?! para maging uniform ang interval sa pagbibilang...



NOTE:
an interval is the distance between two notes. intervals are always counted from the lower note to the higher one, with the lower note being counted as one. if the notes are sounded successively, it is a melodic interval. if sounded simultaneously, then it is a harmonic interval. see Piano Lesson No. 4: Intervals and Accidentals to learn more about intervals.


kung saan ka comfortable para ma-attain mo ang rhythm ng isang piyesa dun ka... ang mahalaga matugtog mo ng tama hindi lamang yung mga notang nakikita mo kundi pati yung tamang rhythmic pattern nito dahil kung hindi para kang makakarinig ng pirated na kanta at ikaw ang salarin! hehehe ^_^v



next... Symbols and Terminology: MELODY and HARMONY

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