Rhythm

[jbrwky]

My mando sensei (who is absolutely excellent)is trying to get me to emphasize the 2 and 4 beat on fiddle tunes when playing the melody. When he does it, it really sounds great. Since I have the natural sense of timing of Barney Fife, this is worse than rubbung stomachs and patting heads but i'm working on it. We don't talk much about rhythm on this site so I am wondering what yall think about emphasizing the back beat while playing the melody. After hearing it, I know I want it. Does Sam Bush move his head in time with the back beat? I think so.

[JeffD]

I think it depends on the tune.

It might be a good way to force you to take the unconscious emphasis off the one and three.

[ChrisWallace]

Hi,

My teacher stresses this as well. I think it's a good way to get a feel for the pulse of the tune. And if you decide that a certain tune doesn't need it...you can just not do it.

Anyway, it took me a while to get the hang of it but I find myself nodding my head or tapping my foot on the 2 and 4 nowadays. This definitely helps me to keep the accents on the proper beats.

Oh, another thing that helped me was taking the sheet music and actually going thru and noting the notes that need to be accented. After a while, you won't need this but it helps while you're getting used to it.

Good luck!

[mandocrucian]

is trying to get me to emphasize the 2 and 4 beat on fiddle tunes when playing the melody.

Well, I can tell that you never worked on the heel/toe foot rhythm exercises (and accompaniment) that I showed you guys a few years ago at the 4H mando bootcamp. Otherwise that metronomic pulse would be ingrained throughout your entire body by now. Probably you didn't follow through with the vocalization drills either?

Oh well....



Niles H

[pickloser]

Mandocrucian,
If you repeat the directions (I never made it to 4H Camp--didn't have a calf or pig), I promise to work on it.

[jbrwky]

Niles, I'm not worthy. I am doing the heel toe routine but I find I've been emphasizing the 1 and 3 downbeat not the 2 and 4. It's making this switch in the melody that has me regrouping. Otherwise my timing (thanks to you) isn't bad. I do practice with a metronome. I was exaggerating somewhat above. This 2 & 4 vs. 1 & 3 thing is different than the back beat 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 where the chop is on the upbeat (and). I will get this down. And as a general comment I would say that Niles is one of the few instructors who really works on rhythm and exercises to make you think about this. I remember the fun of playing a tune in 4/4 and switching midstream to 3/4 and then to 6/8 and back again. I could use some more of that. I'm sorry to hear you're leaving the teaching behind but I'm sure it must get frustrating. You had a very postive impact on my playing Niles, and I approciate it.