Rockin’ Rhythms
To complete this event, you must pass a rhythm test with at least 80% accuracy. You will take the test by performing rhythms for your teacher, by counting and clapping or any other method your teacher chooses. The test will consist of two different levels that you and your teacher will choose together.
Here is a list of the rhythms that are used on each level:
Use this worksheet to help plan your training program: Rockin\’ Rhythms
The best way to learn rhythms is to learn rhythm patterns. Use these worksheets to help you recognize different rhythm patterns quickly. Say the words to help you feel the rhythms. If you go on to the higher levels, notice how many of the rhythms sound exactly the same, even though they’re written differently.
You can print these out on card stock and use them to practice clapping rhythms. There are four of each pattern; you can cut them all out and rearrange them to make an endless variety of rhythms to clap.
rhythm patterns in 2-4 time and dividing the beat in 2
more patterns in compound time
Be sure to check out the websites where you can practice rhythms.
the Rhythm Gym and Rhythm Machine are great for working rhythms up to and including eighth notes and dotted quarter notes.
You can make your own rhythm cards to practice with, too. Print these out on cardstock and you can create an endless variety of rhythm patterns to practice.
These cards just have individual notes and rests.
You can combine them to create your own measures: note-value-cards-6-to-a-page
These cards also have just individual notes, but are sized according to beat (the whole notes are 4 times as long as the quarter notes).
set 1 has quarter, half, dotted half, whole, and eighth note pairs, as well as basic time signatures: rhythm-cards-notes-primer
set 2 also includes quarter, half, and whole rests and bar lines: rhythm-cards-notes-rests
These cards have 4-beat patterns (1 measure in 4/4 time) on each card:
Set one uses only quarter notes and rests and eighth note pairs: rhythm-cards-set-1-q-e-qr
Set two uses quarter, half, and whole ntoes and rests as well as dotted half ntoes: rhythm-cards-set-2-q-h-dh-w-notes-q-h-w-rests
Set three includes all the notes and rest of set two, but every card also has eighth note pairs: rhythm-cards-set-3-e-q-h-dh-notes-q-h-rests
Set four uses sixteenth notes, eight notes, dotted eighth notes, and quarter notes: rhythm-card-set-4-16th-combos
These cards practice hands together patterns of basic note values (quarter, half, dotted half, and whole ntoes) in 4/4 and 3/4 time: rhythm-cards-ht-patterns
Thanks to John Bisceglia and Layton Music for these great rhythm cards!
These cards do not use any ties — you can practice rhythms with ties on the Rhythm Gym and Rhythm Machine websites above. They also do not use compound time, dotted quarter note, single eighth note, or 3/4 time rhythms — but you can creat your own with the individual note cards above, too.
Good luck training!
