LESSONSeries : Music Basics








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There is no way around it. A musician must be able to play in time. Playing in time is an important musical skill for ALL musicians. This lesson works on Keeping Your Place as you play.
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“A metronome is an external time device for developing and synchronizing your accurate, internal time.” — Curt Sheller
There is no way around it. A musician must be able to play in time. Playing in time is an important and valuable musical skill for ALL musician.
If you can count evenly, which we all can, we are already capable of playing in-time. The hard part is to do it while we are playing our instrument.
Here are some definitions of common music terms regarding playing in time:
- Beat — The beat is the regular time unit or pulse of a piece of music.
- Tempo — is the speed of music as measured by a metronome in beats per minute (bpm)
- Rhythm — is the duration of a note or chord in music.
- Meter — Is the organization of pulses in a piece of music. It is represented by two numbers at the beginning o written music, called a time signature. Common time signatures are 4/4, 6/8 and 3/4.
Playing in Time…
Using a Metronome to Learn to Play in Time
A basic use of a metronome is external tracking of the beat and tempo with audible clicks, beeps, or a light. It is great for learning and practicing new music. Set the metronome to the goal tempo for the music you are working on. If not successful, set the metronome to a tempo that you can play the music at. With every successful performance, increase, the metronome until you are at the goal tempo.
Metronomes
Get yourself a metronome, an external source for helping your develop a internal sense of time and rhythm.
Web Sites & Apps
Here are few places to find a metronome online. Every app store has multiple metronomes available for download to your computer, tablets or phone.
- guitarapp.com • This is the online metronome that I'm using right here. Also an iOS app for: Lessons | Tuner | Metronome | Chords
A Few Other Metronome Resources
- flutetunes.com Metronome • This online metronome allows you to set the tempo using the common tempo terms such as: Presto, Allegro, Andante, Largo, etc.
- Musica Metronome • A very simple metronome right in a browser. Musicca is a most popular music learning platforms, with several million monthly users in more than 150 countries. Based in Denmark, but our team comprises people from around the world.
- Google Metronome • A very simple metronome right in a browser.
- Metronome • A GNOME (Linux ) Flatpak app .
Your fellow ukulele players and musicians will NOT know you are using a metronome–ONLY if you should have be using a metronome.
Lesson Resources & Links>
- Howard Levy: How to Keep Time with Your Body • This is a great, great lesson from Harmonica virtuoso Howard Levy that is appropriate for ANY musician and instrument. Be sure to checkout levyland.com for a lot of great lessons for harmonica.
Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!
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Modular Phonetic Rhythm, The Foundation and Workbook 1
Updated: 08 Dec 2021
Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm.