Unique rhythm books
You won’t find these rhythm books for piano students anywhere else. You won’t find this content, you won’t find this accessibility for piano students and piano teachers, you won’t find this deep of study with this flushed out of curriculum, you wont’t find this comprehensive of a system of levels anywhere else. They are unique and I’m passionate about them and here’s why!
Why is rhythm important?
Rhythm is essential to music. Without rhythm you end up with Gregorian chants…and even those have some level of rhythm. The steady beat of rhythm mimics our steady heart beat. Rhythm is always at the heart of music. Without rhythm there is no music.
I advocate for a well-rounded approach to music. When I teach and when I write curriculum, I don’t intend that a student be lopsided in their knowledge about music. Yes, in the strict sense I am a music teacher, not a piano teacher. But people look for and want to hire a piano teacher, so that’s what I call myself…for now.
With that said, it is important to dedicate portions of a lesson to each area of music that a teacher and student and parent would deem essential to create a well-rounded education. We’ll talk more about the big picture a different day, but for now let’s suffice it to say the rhythm is going to be a very big part of that.
Traditional rhythm in a piano lesson
The traditional way of teaching rhythm in most piano studios today is “Ok, time to turn the page and start a new song. Let’s try out these notes and–whoops don’t you know your rhythm yet?” Maybe the teacher will stop and take some time to isolate a difficult measure or passage that requires special attention or maybe they’ll even point it out before you begin since they’ve had 37 other students mess up at that same exact part and frankly it’s more because they’re sick of having surprised students.
If there is a specific student having issues over and over…like months or years…having the same issues with the same BASIC rhythms, then perhaps a teacher will find or even design a special exercise or activity within the lesson to hopefully overcome the never-ending struggles with rhythm.
But in the back of everyone’s mind (usually subconsciously) the teacher, student, and parent are all wondering…”Why can’t he/she/I just get it right the first time? Is there another way?”
But a whole book just about rhythm?
Another way to do it is to start from square one and study rhythm in the same way you’d study piano. Yes, a whole book dedicated just to rhythm. A whole book that lasts a whole semester or year and that is pulled out at every lesson and every practice session. Why? Because rhythm is THAT IMPORTANT! Start right and you won’t have to spend YEARS undoing bad habits, holes in your understanding about music, and hours of frustration between the teacher, student, and parent. This is going to be helpful whether you’re a brand new piano student or have been playing for years and need some review or need some specific help with rhythm or just want something fresh to focus on and develop your talents better.
What’s so magical about these rhythms?
These rhythms are developed around a spiral learning technique of both hand independence and ambidextrous abilities. Currently, there are 7 levels that start with quarter notes and end with septuplets in odd time signatures. I explore almost every single combination of rhythm within a measure and try to stray away from unnecessary review since there is so much built in already. A single quarter note, for example is learned right away unison in two hands simultaneously under three different time signatures with four measures of practice each. After learning a few other rhythms we return to “re-learning” the quarter note but this time focusing on hand independence. One hand turns into the metronome while the other hand repeats the same exact rhythm patterns previously studied. Then the hands switch. Each hand is studied equally so that “no hand is left behind” and the muscles in both arms are trained at the same intensity.
What is the scope of these rhythms?
Here is a quick fly-over of all 7 levels:
Rhythm Level 1: Quarter Notes & Rests, Half Notes & Rests, Dotted Half Notes, Whole Notes & Rests, 2/4, 3/4, & 4/4 Time, 2 Eighth Note Groups, Unison Rhythm, & Rhythm Coordination, Cumulative & Melodic Review
Rhythm Level 2: Ties with Quarter Notes, Half Notes, Dotted Half Notes, Whole Notes, 4 Eighth Note Groups, Dotted Quarter-Eighth Patterns, Cumulative & Melodic Review
Rhythm Level 3: Rhythm Ostinato based on previous two levels, Cumulative Review
Rhythm Level 4: Sixteen Note Patterns, Eighth Notes & Rests, Cumulative Review
Rhythm Level 5: Single Eighth Notes & Rests, Dotted Quarter Note, Sixteenth Rests
Rhythm Level 6: Finger Coordination for Thumbs and Pinkies
Rhythm Level 7: 5/4, 6/8, 7/4, 6/2 Time, Intervals, Quintuplets, Sextuplets, Septuplets
These rhythm books are exactly what you need
If you’re a piano teacher and have a student who is having trouble with the same basic rhythms over and over, you will want a copy of every single Rhythm Book for yourself to find out which books your student(s) will need.
If you’re looking for a piano teacher and want to learn how to play piano for fun, you will want a copy of Rhythm Book 1.
If you’re a piano student and have found that you’re plateauing out with your talent and need a boost to get back into loving music and getting over the slump of certain difficult songs, you’ll want a copy of a Rhythm Book depending on which level you need help with.
If you’re a parent and you see your child struggling with piano lessons or rhythm in particular, you’ll want a copy of a Rhythm Book to give to your child’s piano teacher and see if it might be something that could help.
If you’re reading this blog and have got this far and are still interested but don’t apply to any of the examples above…you need to buy a Rhythm Book for yourself just for fun or to pass along to someone who needs it.
So yes, you NEED a Rhythm Book…or Books.
Okay, lemme see these rhythm books
Well…here’s where we’re stuck for now. I’ll get images up as soon as I can, but for now…you just gotta buy them and try them 😉 Support a local business by messaging me through Instagram @memorizemoore and let’s get you a copy today!