JEW'S HARP

Exercises

       These exercises are used for improving of exactness of intoning of sounds and rhythm. They are presented as the basis which is to be developed creatively, finding out new rhythmic and melodic idioms. It is proved that the most successful musicians are those ones who can invent for themselves individual exercises and do them regularly.
      Exercises should be controlled by a metronome, it is a very important condition which let you learn to possess rhythm and play in a band. Each of "rhythm exercises" should be played in two ways, giving the rhythm by plucking the reed, and by plucking the reed and breath. In the exercise R2 as an example in the first two measures the rhythm is given by plucking and breath. The example of different taking out of rhythm is in the exercise R4. In all the rest exercises you should do the same, shifting different methods by yourself.
      The fundamental idea of rhythmic exercises is the following. We switch on the metronome, the beats of which mean quarter notes, and we divide time between beats on equal segments in the following way:

R1 - Rhythm corresponds the metronome beats absolutely.
R2 - Here eights divide the beat in two parts, the first note correlate with the beat, the second one should take place strictly between the beats.
R3 - Division into three parts, such notes are called triplets.
R4 - Division into four parts.
Further exercises analogously, including R6.
R7 - Triplets by quarters. Quite difficult but beautiful rhythm, by four beats of a metronome which sound in each measure, you need to produce six notes.
      Further you will find combinations of notes which you have already learnt.

"Legato exercises" are prepared to perfect rhythm which is given by a hand and breath.

Back

this article translated by Natalia Ivanitsa