Improve your rhythm skills to make practice easier

We all know the importance of consistent practice, so why not make it as easy as possible? A firm grasp of rhythm will lighten up your practice sessions and also make your performances noticeably stronger. Use these 5 tools to improve your rhythm skills make practice easier.

Train your muscle memory and ears

With This tool you will tap the rhythm that you see using your mouse while a metronome ticks a steady beat. Not only will your visual understanding of rhythm improve but the physical act of clicking the mouse will help you build muscle memory.

The ability to recognize rhythmic patterns by ear is often overlooked. Try out this additional tool to further solidify your rhythm.

Dust off the metronome

Put your old music to good use by picking 2 pieces at random, giving yourself only two chances to play through each piece. Set your metronome to a reasonable speed and clap the right hand or left hand parts. Your rhythmic accuracy will improve as only giving yourself 2 chances will keep you more focused. Feel free to take a slower speed if you feel rushed. You can also get books that are solely focused on rhythm patterns and clap to these as well.

Count out loud 

A tried and true strategy for practicing rhythmic skills is counting out loud while playing. This strategy will help you see the math involved in music and will hold you accountable for rhythmic accuracy. Use the same approach as above giving yourself 2 tries on two of your old pieces. Bonus points if you use the metronome as well.

Tease your brain with polyrhythms

In order to play a polyrhythm, you must play two different quantities of notes within the same amount of time. This video shows you a 2 over 3 polyrhythm where you will tap 2 beats with one hand while the other will tap 3. Once you’ve mastered this pattern, try switching hands. Polyrhythms require muscle memory and the ability to listen to yourself while playing which makes this strategy ideal for improving your rhythm.

Hire a professional instructor

Nothing guarantees progress more than hiring a professional instructor. Having someone to hold you accountable on a weekly basis will keep you focused on improving and they will give you live feedback based on your unique skill level. Let your instructor know that you are trying to improve your rhythm and they will know what to do for you.

Conclusion

Which of these strategies will you use to improve your rhythm skills this week? Once your rhythmic foundation has been strengthened, learning new music will feel easier and your audience will be able to feel the pulse of your performances! Remember that part of the journey is focusing on smaller areas of your musicianship to build the whole.