Roadmap: Get Rhythm
This Roadmap shows you how you can use Musical U training modules and exercises to develop a great sense of rhythm and ease with reading and writing rhythm notation.
Learn
What Is Rhythm?
Learn about rhythm and how it can help your musicianship.
After completing this module: You will understand the importance of rhythm and how to identify and play simple rhythms yourself.
Tempo and the Beat
Learn about syncopation and the pulse, upbeats and downbeats, tempo, and straight vs. swung jazz rhythm.
After completing this module: You will understand simple rhythms, downbeats and upbeats, and straight vs. swung jazz rhythm.
Speak Rhythms
Discover two methods you can use to speak out a rhythmic pattern from written notation or know how to write down a rhythm you’ve heard: the count chant method and the Kodály method.
After completing this module: you will understand two methods for speaking out rhythmic patterns.
Practice
Connect with the Beat
Practise connecting with the beat, the underlying pulse that is the foundation of all future rhythmic learning.
After completing this module: you will be able to hear and clap along with the basic pulse of any song. You will also be able to pick out and clap with the different beats in 4/4 time, which is the most common musical meter.
Rhythm Practice
Practise your basic rhythm skills. Identify core rhythm concepts that you have learned so far like syncopation, tempo, and the pulse.
After completing this module: you will be able to identify syncopation and tap or play along with rhythm examples.
Read Rhythms
Practise making the connection between heard rhythms and traditional score notation, so that you can easily read or write down rhythms.
After completing this module: you will be able to read quarter, 8th and 16th note rhythms from notation and write them down when you hear them.
Apply
Universal Rhythms
Apply your rhythm skills to identify, notate, and practice popular global rhythms including Rock, Pop, Jazz, and Latin beats.
After completing this module: you will be able to play and notate popular rhythms from around the world.
