A recently released book, ‘Play With Rhythm!’, seeks to assist students in developing a stronger sense of pulse, according to Music Mark. Paul Harris, the author, designed the resource to tackle instructional patterns that frequently impede a student’s assurance when dealing with rhythm.
The book presents a structured, four-stage learning approach to rhythm development. These phases involve a progression from a state of unfamiliarity and inability, through a period of uncertainty, to a point of competence and finally, a sense of secure understanding.
‘Play With Rhythm!’ incorporates a technique called VIM, or Virtual Internal Metronome, to aid students in cultivating a consistent internal beat. This method divides larger rhythmic units into smaller, equal segments. The name VIM is a playful reference to a cleaning product and the concept of energy and enthusiasm.
Rather than focusing solely on the length of musical notes, the publication encourages educators to view rhythm as a form of motion. Elements like emphasis, the feeling of flow, energy, and musical punctuation contribute to a sense of rhythmic movement. The duration of a note is presented as a cue for initiating the subsequent note, not just its total length.
For more information, visit musicmark.org.uk.