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Rhythm Counting
5.1 Syncopation
5.1 Syncopation
Syncopation is a term used in music that is given to rhythms that emphasize the up part of the beat, or the off beat of the music.
A common form of syncopation is when a quarter follows 1 eighth note and occurs on the up part of the beat. In this frequently used rhythm example, the pattern is eighth/quarter/eighth.
How to count the eighth/quarter/eighth rhythm
The rhythm begins with an eighth note. Remember, we always start a downbeat with a number. In this case, we will use the number 1.
Remember that an eighth note only receives half a beat. That means that the pizza of count one is only half full. We still need to put an + symbol somewhere for the second half of count 1. Place the + under the quarter note.
Now we have all of the subdivisions of beat one accounted for. But, that quarter note that we wrote the + under receives an entire beat, which means we have only accounted for half of its value. We still need to put another subdivision of beat under it. That would take us to the downbeat of 2. Write -2 next to the + to show that the quarter note takes up the + of 1 and the down of 2.
Finally we come to the last eighth note in the rhythm. If you were filling in the pie for count 2, you would know that only half of the pie is full. We still need to place the + in the rhythm. Draw the + under the last eight note, and that should complete the pie for count two.
The eighth/quarter/eighth combination is commonly misplayed by many musicians. The key to playing it correctly is to subdivide or even pulse the beat in your head.
When counting syncopation, it will begin with the +, then you will have to write a - through the down of the next beat.
The dash shows that the quarter note takes up half of the pie, or beat of beat 3 and half of the pie, or beat, of beat 4.
Let’s do an example.
Step 1 - Write in the counts for measure one for the exercise below.
Step 2 - Check measure one.
Step 3 - Write in the counts for measure 2. You will encounter syncopation.
Step 4 - Check measure two.
Step 5 - Write in the counts for measure 3. Once again, you will encounter syncopation.
Step 6 - Check measure 3.
Step 7 - Write in counts for measure 4.
Step 8 - Check measure 4.
Now, count and clap the exercise.
The key to counting syncopation and performing correctly is to SUBDIVIDE. When you encounter the syncopation, you need to pulse the quarter note twice, making it almost like two eighth notes that are combined into one sound. This will guarantee that you give the quarter note enough time.
Let’s Practice.
RHYTHM PRACTICE SHEET 5.1
RHYTHM PRACTICE SHEET 5.1
Eighth/quarter/eighth syncopation
5.2 Repeated Syncopation
5.2 Repeated Syncopation
Sometimes you will encounter syncopation that doesn’t consist of just one quarter note in between two eighth notes. A composer might put two quarter notes between the eighths, making the syncopation last longer than two beats. Here is an example:
When quarter notes occur in succession between the eighth notes, you will continue writing the rhythms with dashes.
5.3 Ties in syncopation
5.3 Ties in syncopation
You also might run into syncopation being written as two tied eighth notes instead of a quarter note. You will still write the counts the same way.
RHYTHM PRACTICE SHEET 5.2
RHYTHM PRACTICE SHEET 5.2
Syncopation that utilizes ties
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