Metronome Research Paper
Beginner saxophonists tend to put a lot of their effort in playing scales, learning the right tone and tune adjustments, as well as running patterns. But knowing how to play rhythm is also important and will in most cases improve your overall playing.
Below are five simple exercises that’ll help you play in odd-meters and work on rhythm. These sax rhythm exercises will boost your improvisation skills and add more depth to your style.
1. Utilising the Metronome
Every beginner sax players needs to get a good metronome! It’ll bring more structure to your lesson and is a great aid, especially in this first exercise.
Set your metronome to around 50 to 60 bmp. Play along to the metronome so that you’ll first play once per beat. Continue by playing …show more content…
For example, go from six subdivisions per beat to three subdivisions per beat.
2. Use a 4/4 Beat and Displace It
Use a backing track with a 4/4 beat. Turn the backing track on and play on the first and the third beat, but start the first with an offbeat.
Alternatively, you could use an odd-meter tune. Instead of starting with an offbeat, play with a downbeat on the first.
3. Get Clapping Rhythms
You should also start practicing without your sax as well. Pick a bepop head song with rhythmic complexity. For instance, you could sing Moose and the Mooch. Sing the song in your head and pick a repeating rhythm you will clap to.
This could be the offbeats. Try to keep clapping just the offbeats as long as possible – you’ll probably soon notice you are clapping on the beat!
4. 3 Against 5
Another good clapping exercise that allows you to practice without the sax is the three against five. You just need to clap every three beats with one hand and hit every five eight notes with the other.
You can change this by doing it four against five to mix it up a bit. This is quite tricky, but mastering it will make learning modern jazz tricks a lot
Below are five simple exercises that’ll help you play in odd-meters and work on rhythm. These sax rhythm exercises will boost your improvisation skills and add more depth to your style.
1. Utilising the Metronome
Every beginner sax players needs to get a good metronome! It’ll bring more structure to your lesson and is a great aid, especially in this first exercise.
Set your metronome to around 50 to 60 bmp. Play along to the metronome so that you’ll first play once per beat. Continue by playing …show more content…
For example, go from six subdivisions per beat to three subdivisions per beat.
2. Use a 4/4 Beat and Displace It
Use a backing track with a 4/4 beat. Turn the backing track on and play on the first and the third beat, but start the first with an offbeat.
Alternatively, you could use an odd-meter tune. Instead of starting with an offbeat, play with a downbeat on the first.
3. Get Clapping Rhythms
You should also start practicing without your sax as well. Pick a bepop head song with rhythmic complexity. For instance, you could sing Moose and the Mooch. Sing the song in your head and pick a repeating rhythm you will clap to.
This could be the offbeats. Try to keep clapping just the offbeats as long as possible – you’ll probably soon notice you are clapping on the beat!
4. 3 Against 5
Another good clapping exercise that allows you to practice without the sax is the three against five. You just need to clap every three beats with one hand and hit every five eight notes with the other.
You can change this by doing it four against five to mix it up a bit. This is quite tricky, but mastering it will make learning modern jazz tricks a lot