After going through the 8 rhythmic etudes this month, I'm sure some people may have this question.
In this short blog, I will mention a few reasons for it, bringing about a productive end to the first month of 2023!
What Is A Rhythm?
While I'm at it, I'll quickly write a simple description of what we mean by 'rhythm'.
Rhythm, is the backbone of any piece of music. It's essentially a way of playing with time and subdivisions of time using numeric patterns in a creative fashion.
The reason why rhythm is considered as the backbone for any piece of music is because, no melody/pitch/music can sound the way it does without the existence of rhythm.
And to add to that, rhythm can be steady (in perfect sequence), unsteady (not in a perfect sequence), or a mix of both (no particular sequence. instead following a natural flow).
Why We Learn These Etudes?
An etude is a musical piece written as educational material targeting/demonstrating specific musical topics.
Here are a few common questions answered about them:
"Let's say I am working on one of the rhythmic etudes we learnt this month. How does it help me?"
Well, performing these rhythmic etudes with a metronome helps in building two important things:
Rhythmic Vocabulary
Groove.
"Why rhythmic etudes? Why not melodic etudes?"
Both are useful. I personally like working with rhythmic etudes first because it pushes you towards being creative with your lines/melodies after giving you a solid foundation of groove.
Stay tuned for future blogs on rhythmic etudes! Subscribe to my blogs and never miss out on the latest posts. It's FREE!
"I can perform all the rhythmic etudes well. What now?"
If you scroll down on each of those blogs, you'll notice that I have written down steps to follow next. I will mention them here once more for you:
Perform this without your instrument, using a metronome at a comfortable speed. Either tap your foot/fingers, or clap to perform.
Choose any note on your instrument, and play that note by incorporating these rhythms.
Try to compose/improvise a solo by incorporating these rhythmic ideas.
Create your own etude/piece of music by embelishing/re-arranging these.
Want To Learn These In-Depth?
If you wish to learn the art of music and express yourself your way, email me: contact@subharaj.com for pricing and details!
*Open to students from all over the world and all age groups.
Here are some of the things I talk about in class:
Music fundamentals and theory
Ear-training
Composition
Improvisation
The guitar as a solo instrument
Musical, compositional, and improvisational philosophies
Artistry
Expression