Simpedia

Laurie Richards, Nebraska

I’m assuming you are starting with processing the MORs on just one note on the kb (as opposed to 5ss).  Try focusing on just one measure to start.  Clap and voice the rhythm, then demonstrate playing the rhythm on one note.  Then have students process on the piano with you a few times until they have it, then on their own.

Also, if you aren’t already, have them voice the rhythms using the “left” and “left right” terminology for singles and doubles rather than “bum” and “bum-bum”.  If they can do this successfully when voicing, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch to have one finger follow their voicing on the piano.

As a general rule, whenever a student is struggling with anything at all, I think of how to break it into micro-steps.

Desiree K., Florida

In my experience, students are able to successfully grasp the SM way of teaching rhythm.  The biggest obstacle is making sure they are physically able to play FSS starting on any finger using singles, doubles and quads.

It sounds like your students might just need to spend more time getting the mechanics of FSS into their hands.  I never let my students proceed to MOR voicing, clapping, or playing FSS unless they are able to play FSS on the singles, doubles and quads. It’s  especially  important  that they can do this starting on any finger.

Occasionally,  I have had students demonstrate the ability to process FSS, proceed in the book to MOR, voicing, clapping, and FSS, only to regress.  When that has happened, I have had the students return to ONLY practicing FSS, starting on different fingers.  When they are physically able to process the FSS, I let them proceed to MOR again.

I love Laurie’s Read N’ Play workbook and have found it to be very useful in solidifying necessary knowledge about note values and note names.  All of the pages are great source material for MOR, but until a student is physically able to play the FSS, there will be a struggle.

Lauralee, California

For students that have some difficulty at first, I substitute words for the note values i.e.:

Singles: Cheese

Doubles: Pizza

Quads: Pepperoni

Other teachers have found other words and you can even have the students come up with some of their own if they work!

In my studio, this always helps students grasp the rhythms and they are then able to move into “bom, bom-bom, and bom-bom-bom-bom” after some weeks.

Jennifer L., California

I use words also, and I agree with Lauralee that it’s very helpful.  I tell my students we’re making fruit salad and our ingredients are “pear” (singles), “apple” (doubles), “watermelon” (quads).

Esperansa F.

I use words too, I use the Words from Music Mind Games “blue” for Singles “jel-lo” for Doubles “ Huckleberry”for Quads.

Music Mind Games has lots of rhythms even very difficult ones in words and I find it really helpful for my students and for me.

Ian C., Australia

Since we’re talking word/rhythm substitutes, a couple of ideas that my own students have come up with are:

Car, Scooter, Motorcycle;

and my personal favourite..

Ron, Hagrid, HarryPotter!

Gordon Harvey, Australia

Forgive me for sounding pedantic but I would recommend being very particular about word substitutes.  I think it’s important to chose words which, when naturally spoken, accurately represent the rhythm at appropriate tempos.  For example, for 1/8 notes, “salad” would not be ideal because at a slow to moderate tempo, it wouldn’t sound very even.  To make it even, you’d have to make the first syllable longer, like “saaalad”.  On the other hand, “pizza” sounds pretty natural to me.  So of the different suggestions in this stream, Laura Lee’s cheese, pizza and pepperoni are for me the most tasteful choice.

This issue would only occur occasionally with students, but I wouldn’t like to have to fix up an uneven chanted rhythm.

I’ve had a lot of fun with “Moo, Baabaa, cock-a-doodle” as the choices.  I used to assign a word to each student or parent and make up combinations on the spot by pointing to each student in turn and having them say their word.

Julia S., Kansas

I actually haven’t begun teaching Reading Rhythm yet, but I *have* taught piano (and rhythm!) for nearly 30 years!

Here’s how I help students move rhythm to the keyboard level:  Rather than clapping, I have them TAP the rhythm on the keyboard cover (or on a table or whatever).  Tapping is closer to the actual motion they’ll use when playing.

The full sequence:  (1) TAP and say the rhythm on the keyboard cover until easy.  (2)  “PLAY” and say the rhythm on the keyboard cover until easy.  (3)  PLAY and say the rhythm on the keys.

Lauralee, California

I only introduce words for the rhythms if/when needed.  I do not use them if the students grasp the “bom-bom’s.”  It really is a small percentage that needs the words.

Vicki J., Colorado

I have an adult class that liked “beer, vodka, margarita!”  They had fun with it and “drinking” really helped one student who was having a hard time!!