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Syncopation: Patterning

Goal: To use groupings of notes to improvise with syncopation.

Out of Tempo

All Levels

“Out of Tempo” exercises are not presented separately in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV improvisations. Should any exercise prove difficult performed in tempo, out of tempo versions of the materials in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV can be modeled on Ear Training I and Ear Training II approaches to out of tempo improvisations.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, rhythms.

Start with one note per measure and add different rhythms as students become more comfortable with the exercise. For more confident students, use non-repeating notes and rhythm patterns.

Refer to the Syncopation ‘Smorgasbord’ for ideas.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Create a syncopated pattern from half notes and quarter notes.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Create a syncopated pattern from quarter notes and eighth notes.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Create a syncopated pattern from eighth notes and sixteenth notes.”
  2. Students do so.