Rhythm: First Steps

As described in the Strings Magazine article by Judy Weigert Bossuat.

Presented by:
The Student Chapter of the
American String Teachers
Association at Sacramento State
University

Rhythm as Concept
Grade-school children can assign numeric values to
symbols.
1

These symbols can include music notation.

1

Understanding the concept of rhythm does not

guarantee that a child will know what to do physically
with his or her instrument

Rhythm as Action
Rhythm in Action
Goals:
Introduce and cultivate a steady sense of
rhythmic pulse.
Introduce rhythmic values for written
notes and rests.
Do all of the above with many children as
quickly as possible with maximum
success rates.

Step 1: Make rhythm a physical action

Children march in time

Add left hand
Strong beats are clearly marked!
View Children March in Time movie

Step 2: Right hand reads rhythm

Notes are played
by the right hand
tapping the right leg.

Rests are played by

tapping the chest.

The right hand stays on the right leg for

the duration of the note or on the chest
for the duration of the rest.
This helps students learn that they
must count through rests as well as the
notes.

These are the first steps to introducing

beat subdivision as a physical
practice, not just a concept.

Step 3: Start with large note values and

progress gradually to smaller values

Step 4: Use exercises that mix up the

note values that the student has learned

Whole notes + Half notes

Half notes + Quarter notes

Example: Simple Rhythm with

quarter notes and rests

View the
Quarter Notes and Rests movie.
This is Chinalys first day doing these
exercises.

As the students progress to smaller and smaller

note denominations, rhythms get more and
more complicated

Concert Rhythm
Performed December 17, 2007

Try it!

Concert Rhythm
By: Mr. Stanley and Austin

View the Concert Rhythm movie

performed by Mr. Stanley and Austin.

At this point, you can easily introduce

time signatures!
Students have an externalized sense of
beat which will lead soon to an
internalized pulse.
Students can recognize note values in
terms of beats.
Students are ready to organize beats
into measures.

Step 5: Apply rhythm exercise to actual

music!

Introduction to actual music reading.

Clarify that the lines and spaces do not change the
rhythmic value of a note.
Now the student is ready to learn to read pitches

Rhythm: First Steps

REVIEW

Directs students to concepts including

beat subdivision, rest value and note
value equality, ensemble counting as
well as playing and rhythmic body
awareness.
Acts as an easy and effective transition
to reading printed music.
Significantly reduces rushing in students
of any ability.

Rhythm: First Steps

REVIEW

Aids reading comprehension by

breaking music-reading down into two
parts; rhythm and pitch.
Should be used by any level student
experiencing rhythmic reading problems
or an advanced player who isnt
rhythmically consistent.
Especially for beginners and young
children, it provides a break from
holding their instrument.

Playing a string instrument is

physical, and we want our kids to
feel the rhythm in their gut!
(Judy Weigert Bossuat)

Brentt Rhythm

Piece from: Rhythmic Training by: Robert Starer

View the Brentt Rhythm Movie

Rhythm: First Steps

Presented by:
California State University, Sacramento
String Project Student Teachers,
members of the Student Chapter of the
American String Teachers Association
at the American String Teachers
Association Conference in Albuquerque
New Mexico, March 2008.