Four steps to work on rhythm

✨COUNT IT

🟣SING IT

🟦MOVE IT

🎶PLAY IT

My steps to working on rhythm!

When we’re working through a tough rhythm and trying to transfer that into playing, it’s SO DIFFICULT sometimes to just play it immediately…so let’s take it in steps.

✨COUNT IT - what is the rhythm in the first place? Are we going 1 and 2 and or piz-za piz-za or tee-tee tee-tee? A lot of the time we gravitate to using the rhythm counting system that we learned first, so let’s go with that and figure out what the rhythm actually is in our rhythmic language.

🟣SING IT - we’re starting to infuse the rhythm with ourselves. Don’t try to play it before you sing it. That’s just adding an extra thing we have to think about. Sing it out loud to yourself. Don’t worry about pitch accuracy. Say it and sing it.

🟦MOVE IT - let’s get moving! As we sing-count it, let’s dance to it. Worried about looking silly? Try not to - we’re learning, and I’m doing it too. Make up a dance that you can do while singing the rhythm that goes with it, or just bounce to the beat. We’re full-body internalizing it, and injecting it with joy.

🎶PLAY IT - don’t do this step until comfy with the previous steps! That means don’t skip! This is where we’re adding the final elements to playing the rhythm and feeling good about it. Put your instrument on the rhythm. Having a hard time playing all the right notes with the rhythm? Pick one note to play it on. Then pick two. Keep moving if you can. Sing it in your head. You got this.