Masters of the Rhythm Positions & Fingering
Found in: Reading
Mark M., New York
It seems to me that it would be a nice idea to encourage students to do their MOR keyboard exercises 1) in all sorts of different 5/5 positions and 2) feeling free to start on whatever finger they like each time. In addition to the various other kinds of games of going through the measures in different orders/directions, these two options would allow for the same written exercises to be done with lots of variety. Benefits would seem to be both novelty/interest as well as greater physical/visual performance flexibility.
If this was mentioned in the TTM or previously on the ECL, sorry to bother, but I don’t recall it, so I thought I’d ask, any good reasons not to do these things?
Fiona H., Australia
I have mine do MOR with both concepts mentioned in the email. For the start on any finger I call it ‘random’. Try to play your transcription or from the book with 1 single note to start (STP), then if that is achievable, gradually move to doing random fingers (ie: no discernible pattern) with 5 over 5. Some nice little improv/ melodies come out of this exercise!!
Barbara M., New Jersey
I thought I did remember a suggestion on the TTP to start on different fingers, but I could be wrong. These are great ideas for students who crave/need enrichment and challenge. The only reason I would not opt to do this is it takes long enough to get through the rhythm program, and this would slow the progress. I wait until the end of rhythm to begin notes (I know some teachers begin notes before finishing rhythm) and this would further delay
reading notes, which many are really excited about starting.
Mark M., New York
While I can see this as a challenge beyond staying in Dreams position and always starting on the bottom finger of each hand, it seems to me that the benefits of flexibility would be worthwhile enough for all students, and that the challenge wouldn’t be such a big one, that this would be worth introducing right from the start as just part of how to do MOR.
Instead of saying pick Dreams position and start on bottom fingers, we can just say pick any 5/5 position for each hand, and pick which finger to start. At that point, the physicality is no different than Dreams position with bottom fingers, so I’m not sure it would have to be saved as some separate set of exercises that would cause the program to take any extra time to process. At least, that’s my thought/hope.