Rhythms Complete Bugs Bower

[AllanAllen]

Rhythm No. 3 #19

[rpjazzguitar]

Great!

I saw that you're up the neck. That's the way to learn the whole thing. Good job!

Note that this exercise starts on F and never goes below F.

So, if you start working on playing anything in any octave, you can start on the low E string, first fret or 13th fret. Only one practical F on the A string, but two useful Fs on the D string. One on the G string, One (well maybe two) on the B String and two good ones on the high E (but, the highest note will then be outside of the guitar's range, unless you play it as a harmonic).

Ideally, you can read the passage starting with any of those Fs. That might be overkill, but if you work on it, you'll end up knowing the whole neck.

I also think you're onto something about proofreading. It's a useful skill to be able to listen to something while you read the sheet music and instantly know if something is wrong -- and how to fix it.

For extra credit in a year from now: Another use for these passages is sight-singing. Can you look at it and sing it? Rhythms should be pretty easy, but can you nail the pitches?

All this is probably overwhelming but it's all basic skill stuff for a jazz player who can read a chart.

[AllanAllen]

Once it’s in my head I can move them around pretty well, it’s something I’m working on. Usually in my band I try to play in the octave the trumpet isn’t in. So I’ll have to transpose heads around. Something I work out at home after the gig. I think he’s normally higher, that’s why I’m reading all this on the E or A roots. But I see the value of reading in any octave.

I just do a take or two for the video and move on with what I’m actually going to practice. These are my warmups now. That 5 minutes a day thing Christian talks about.

I also sight sing the melody before I play it. It’s not in tune I’m only able to hit rhythm and direction. And I’m helped by the arrows Bugs added.

[rpjazzguitar]

Once it’s in my head I can move them around pretty well, it’s something I’m working on. Usually in my band I try to play in the octave the trumpet isn’t in. So I’ll have to transpose heads around. Something I work out at home after the gig. I think he’s normally higher, that’s why I’m reading all this on the E or A roots. But I see the value of reading in any octave.

I just do a take or two for the video and move on with what I’m actually going to practice. These are my warmups now. That 5 minutes a day thing Christian talks about.

I also sight sing the melody before I play it. It’s not in tune I’m only able to hit rhythm and direction. And I’m helped by the arrows Bugs added.

I used this book about 60 years ago -- and the arrows continue to inform the way I think about reading. I'm always conscious of which way my foot is tapping (up or down at any given note) and I can't read very well without tapping (although plenty of horn players don't tap).

Since I read a lot of stuff in 2/4, I started tapping, sometimes, in eighth notes. I found for fast 3/4 or 6/8 with tricky rhythms, it helped to tap only on the one. And, for fast 4/4 it helps to tap twice in the measure, not four times. And, sometimes it helps to change tapping pattern within a song to make it easier to nail the rhythms. TMI, but the point is it all went back to that book.

[AllanAllen]

I used this book about 60 years ago -- and the arrows continue to inform the way I think about reading. I'm always conscious of which way my foot is tapping (up or down at any given note) and I can't read very well without tapping (although plenty of horn players don't tap).

Since I read a lot of stuff in 2/4, I started tapping, sometimes, in eighth notes. I found for fast 3/4 or 6/8 with tricky rhythms, it helped to tap only on the one. And, for fast 4/4 it helps to tap twice in the measure, not four times. And, sometimes it helps to change tapping pattern within a song to make it easier to nail the rhythms. TMI, but the point is it all went back to that book.

I heard somewhere Dizzy would tap his foot on the first beat of every four measures for the really fast stuff.

[rpjazzguitar]

I heard somewhere Dizzy would tap his foot on the first beat of every four measures for the really fast stuff.

Makes sense. Really fast tempos seem a lot easier when you're not tapping quarters or stressing out over them.

[AllanAllen]

[AllanAllen]

[AllanAllen]

[rpjazzguitar]

Coming along nicely!

I don't know what your goal is. If it's just to be able to read, you're on track. If the goal is to be able to read at the level of horns in a big band, then it might be a good idea to practice with a metronome and make sure you're nailing the time precisely. So, every note starts, and stops, exactly as written.

Entering the passage into notation software with playback can really help you be certain you're precise. Musescore is very good and free.

[AllanAllen]

Thanks for checking in. As far as plans, I'm just going to work through this as warmup until I finish the book. I'll get better at reading in the process, and maybe get up to sight reading at some level in a year.

I put the changes into iReal last night and played along to that a few times. I might add that to my routine... that's more time away from the instrument though.

[AllanAllen]

[rpjazzguitar]

Nailed that one. Time was really good.

Next one: maybe read it an octave up, first, before you memorize it.

[charlieparker]

Nailed that one. Time was really good.

Next one: maybe read it an octave up, first, before you memorize it.

Does the book include any triplets or other rhythms or is it mainly eighth notes?

[AllanAllen]

Does the book include any triplets or other rhythms or is it mainly eighth notes?

I flipped to the last page and there are triplets. There's a pirate pdf if you want to look it over before purchase. I would recommend getting the book to anyone who wants to keep reading after Mel Bay 1.

[rpjazzguitar]

It has eighth note triplets. On the last page, there's a tie to the first note in one triplet. That's as far as it goes with triplets.

All that's fine, but if you do enough reading, you will encounter other variations involving triplets. You might see a rest for the first note of the triplet. You might see a tie between the second and third notes. You will see quarter note triplets. You will see four equal notes in a bar of 3/4. (What is a 4-tuplet called?). Now and then one of the notes in a triplet will be divided into two notes, so the triplet is an eighth, two sixteenths and another eighth. Sometimes I question the way these things get written or transcribed, but it does happen,

Some of that stuff is what I think of as difficult.

Here's my big reading tip. When you encounter a rhythm you can't read, ask another player (horn and piano are often good choices) to sing it for you. Then, sit there staring at it until you can count it.

[AllanAllen]

feeling rusty

[rpjazzguitar]

feeling rusty

Sounds great!

[AllanAllen]

Thanks, at big band rehearsal they called Greensleeves to warm up for xmas. I was able to learn the melody off the page before we started, so that's a big achievement.

[rpjazzguitar]

Thanks, at big band rehearsal they called Greensleeves to warm up for xmas. I was able to learn the melody off the page before we started, so that's a big achievement.

Congrats! Playing Big Band is great for reading.

[AllanAllen]

[rpjazzguitar]

Good job with the two octaves. I think you’re a smidge early on the half notes. I had a teacher who would say things like “you’re having too much fun“ when I did this kind of thing. Sound good pushed, but it’s not what the ink says.

[AllanAllen]

Oh thanks, I wasn’t minding the dot. Like, I didn’t even see them.

[AllanAllen]

Keeping the right hand closed, waiting on those half notes, recording 2 octaves. Lots to think about for a 30 second video.

[AllanAllen]