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Crotchet triplets...

MandyH

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I am trying to practice my sight-reading, ready for my grade 8 exam.
I already had Saxophone Sight-Reading, book 1 (grades 1-3) and have now bought Saxophone Sight-Reading book 2 (grades 4-6). I have other advanced sight reading books.

My teacher suggested I start at the basics and progress to the point where I start struggling.

Chapter 4, book 2 - Crotchet Triplets.

I don't seem to be able to get 3 notes over 2 taps of my foot!
I can get quaver triplets - thats 3 notes in one tap, that's straightforward for me.

In our quartet, we play "Build me up Buttercup" which has crotchet triplets in the line " I need you, more than anyone darling I know that I have from the start" which I can tap and play, but when I face a piece with no words, or that I don't know (sight reading) I just lose it!

Can anyone suggest any help?
I've tried "merr-i-ly" and "um-brel-la" but they seem to finish up strangely distorted or swung!

image.jpg I've attached one of the exercises that are causing me problems.
I think it is made worse because I have quavers and triplets together, next to each other in the same bar. I should mention that I am currently tapping this in 4!
Thanks
 
If you think of 44 as having two down beats 1 and 3 you can play sausages on each beat. To get the feel try it for a whole bar1 2 3 4 Sausages Sausages 1 2 3 4 .

When you have it, split the bars in two. 1 2 3 4 Sausages and mash 1 2 3 4 I like Sausages.

I can't think of a vegetarian alternative at the moment.
 
Linda McCartney sausages... do the six extra syllables help? :gathering:
 
Talking of McCartney there's a good crotchet triplet bit in Michelle (I love you, I love you, etc.)
 
Those syllable things have never worked for me. You can pronounce those words any way you like. I think the key is to subdivide the beat in your head. Think of quaver triplets and give two of them to each note:

One-two-three-one-two-three.
 
You could count them as 1 and 2 3 and 4. I prefer not to count, and use the word Banana instead.
So. Ba na Na Ba na Na. Taken from the Leslie Evans "Counting Principles" that I find very useful.

Jim.
 
You could count them as 1 and 2 3 and 4. I prefer not to count, and use the word Banana instead.
So. Ba na Na Ba na Na. Taken from the Leslie Evans "Counting Principles" that I find very useful.

Jim.
Thing is, when I say banana the middle syllable is longer than the other two.
 
I'm not a brilliant sight reader, but what I do know is that reading the rhythms has to automatic. What I like to do is pick a tempo (slow to medium), and tap out crotchets, then quavers. Then semi's and variations like 2 semi's and 1 quaver. etc etc.

Then try changing to quaver triplets. Then imagine your line from 'build me up buttercup' and add that in now and again.
Try these with straight and then swung quavers. A good way to do these is actually when you're walking or jogging.

Also try just tapping out the rhythms from these transcriptions or whatever.

The only other big tip is never try to count the downbeat after a syncopated eighth note, in jazz.

hope this helps....
 
Tap your toe on the beat 1 2 3 4 then say the rhythm of America from West Side Story:

Tu tu tu Tu tu tu Tu__Tu__Tu__
1............2............3............4............

Then continue:

Tu__Tu__Tu__Tu__Tu__Tu__
1...........2...........3............4............
 
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Try clapping exercises where you go from clapping crotchets to triplet crotchets and back again.

Triplet crotchets I think have a 'lazy' feel to them
 
I'm no expert, so treat with pinch of salt.

I took 3 pieces of advice in counting to get crotch triplets; being tap every 2nd beat (eliminate the foot tap with in the triptet), use swing speak doo-be (doo being 2/3 of a beat) and think the sound of somthing falling down a flight of stairs.

For example, tap beat 1 3 and 4 counting 1-doo-doo-3 4
 
It's probably easier demonstrated than described...
 
This just came to me. Listen to Count Basie's band playing April in Paris at least 10 times through. You will never forget how quarter note I mean "crotchet" triples sound and "feel".
 
This just came to me. Listen to Count Basie's band playing April in Paris at least 10 times through. You will never forget how quarter note I mean "crotchet" triples sound and "feel".

You'll also learn how to say, "One more time." in many ways
.
 

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