Table of Contents
Quarter Note Rhythms • 1
Getting Started • 1
Different Ways To Do the Exercises • 3
Note Density • 9
Extending Note Durations • 10
A First Look at Required Beats • 17
Possibilities for Quarter Note Level Rhythms in 4/4 • 19 Count Offs and Pickups • 23
More Performance Variations • 27
The Transcription Process • 28
Eighth Note Rhythms • 29
Introduction to Eighth Notes • 29
Possibilities for Eighth Note Rhythms in 2/4 • 34 How to Beam Eighth Notes • 35
Practice Eighth Note Figures in 2/4 • 39
Eighth Note Level from 2/4 to 4/4 • 41
Required Beats: Tips for Writing and Reading • 42 Swing Eighth Notes • 44
Exercises • 45
Phrasing • 51
Appropriate Precision in Rhythmic Notation • 56
Eighth Notes, Continued • 57
Longer and Two-Part Exercises • 57 Exercises with Pitches • 65
Triplet Eighth Notes • 73
Introduction to Triplet Eighths • 73 Broken Triplets • 74
Exercises • 75
Feel Divisions of the Beat • 79
Appendices • 81
Appendix 1: Performance Variations • 81
Appendix II: Practice With Recordings and With Others • 83 Appendix III: Exercises for Piano • 85
Appendix IV: Exercises for Drums • 90
Appendix V: Additional Sightreading • 94