Counting
It is important to count, preferably aloud.
Counting has the following advantages:
- It helps to reinforce a consistent metronomic pulse.
- It helps you understand and keep track of rhythmic events.
- It aids your memory retention.
- It improves your level of concentration.
1 bar rhythmic variations featuring the rhythmic figures 3 and h .
There are sixteen rhythmic possibilities using quarter notes and quarter note rests.
The following examples are 16 bar sight reading exercises.
Being able to sight read gives you the following advantages:
- It quickens the learning process.
- It gives you a greater understanding of what you play.
- It allows you to transcribe rhythms and songs and learn them quickly and thoroughly.
- It broadens your playing prospects by allowing you to play in bands which use charts.
- It gives you access to vast amounts of written information.
16 bar sight reading exercises featuring the rhythmic figures 3 and h .
Sight Reading Exercise 1
Sight Reading Exercise 2
In this example the right hand plays a steady quarter note pulse on the hi-hat and the left hand plays the snare drum in unison on beat 3.
In this example the right hand plays a steady quarter note pulse on hi-hat and the right foot plays the bass drum in unison on beat 1.
The bass drum and snare drum alternate in this example.
This example combines the previous three and requires three way co-ordination. It is called a basic rock beat.
An extra bass drum has been added to beat 3 in the following example.
