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Practicing Dotted-Eighths

#21
bassybill said:
You mean like the attached pic, Jim? This version definitely does look more correct as you can see each of the four beats. Personally I wouldn't have too much trouble with my earlier version as the two-beat groupings are easily visible (to me, anyway) - but yes, I can see why it might look odd at first glance.
Click to expand...

This latter example is the right way to do it. The earlier example with two dotted eighths and one eighth all under a single beam is not the conventional way to notate that figure.
 
#23
I just found some useful info on this, although I still don't really see a definitive "correct/incorrect" answer for the phrase under discussion.

Invalid Link Removed

EDIT - This link is probably better. It's pretty clear about what to do with 16ths. Although there were no actual 16ths in the phrase under discussion, it does seem better to treat the second note as a 16th tied to an 8th rather than as a dotted 8th note. In this case, it seems that clearly separating out each beat is preferable, even though this necessitates using a tie.

http://howmusicworks.co.uk/notegroupingsimpletime.html
 
#27
Fergie Fulton said:
Rather than count phrases,( because sometimes you just do not have the time or cannot count that fast) learn to recognise the groupings. Every time you come across a grouping of notes learn how the grouping or phrase plays rather than sounds, then look for others with the same grouping and phrasing and you will see that in the case of this song that this will repeat regulary in the piece.

Because this is a common "feel" you will then recognise it in other songs and music you see. If you now apply this idea to other beats, grouping and phrasing you will build up a dictionary or rhythms and beats, which like words you will recognise when you see them and immeadiatly know how they play rather than how the sound. So in effect you are treating phrases and grouping as words with a meaning in rhythm, and looking for these "words to repeat in the music"

How they sound will depend on the pitches of the notes used, but the rhythm will always be the same. I would say practice these points on a single line or space on the staff so the pitch of any notes does not detract you from the rhythmic quality you seek. By seeing the rhythm of these "words" you are now free to work on the actual playing of the notes in there correct pitches and fingerings without also having to worry about how they feel...you have infact internalized these rhythms :)
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I completely agree.

I find the "1 e an a" approach shown in 99% of music tutors to be of limited use, especially for these kind of syncopated lines.

I'm trying to play the bass, read the notes, AND count to 16 in a funny way... it's just too hard!!

For me, the revelation in reading music came when I read Carol Kaye's books. There's not a lot of writing in her books, but what there is is gold. She describes the counting approach as "garbage". Pattern recognition, and HALVING the count, marking the 1/8 notes above the music, patting the foot on the 1/8s so that notes are hit either on the foot pat or when it's in the air is much more helpful.

The advice about singing it is good. And relax. One can't groove if one is tense!

:bassist:
 

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