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Rhythm, Pitch and Melody

I use the publications by renowned Scandinavian music pedagogues Jørgen Jersild, Lars Edlund and Bengt-Olov Palmqvist for training all students in reading, singing, playing (on any instrument), and notating rhythm, pitch and melody.

Starting with Palmqvist's Refinement of Rhythm Volume 1, and the accompanying Supplement for Rhythmic Dictation, the follow topics are introduced...

Refinement of Rhythm Vol 1
Refinement of Rhythm Dictation Vol 1

Chapter 1 Longer Note Values and Rests

Chapter 2 Simple Divisions of the Basic Beat

Chapter 3 Simple Divisions with Rests

Chapter 4 Single Dotted Figures

Chapter 5 Subdivisions of the Basic Beat and Simple Triplets

Chapter 6 Extended Single Dotted and Double Dotted Figures

Chapter 7 Dotted Figures with Subdivisions

Chapter 8 Upbeats

Chapter 9 Inverted Dotted Figures and Simple Syncopated Figures

Chapter 10 Inverted Dotted Figures and Simple Syncopated Figures with Subdivisions

Chapter 11 Extension of Inverted Dotted Figures and Syncopated Figures

Chapter 12 Unaccented Beats

Chapter 13 Extended Triplets 

Chapter 14  Polyrhythms

                      Triplets (3 against 2)

                      Duplets (2 against 3)

                      Quadruplets (4 against 3)

Chapter 15 Hemiolas

Chapter 16 Asymmetrical Meters

                     Quintuple Meter

                     Septuple Meter

Appendices I-V

Index

Pitch and melody reading begins with Edlund's Modus Vetus - Sight singing and Ear-Training in Major/Minor Tonality...

Lars Edlund. Modus Vetus - Sight singing and Ear-Training in Major/Minor Tonality

Melody Reading Exercises

Chapter I From the tonic to the major third

Chapter II From the major third to the tonic

Chapter III From the tonic to the minor third

Chapter IV From the minor third to the tonic

Chapter V Major and minor in the same example

Chapter VI Major third with neighboring tones

Chapter VII Minor third with neighboring tones

Chapter VII Summary on intervals

Chapter IX a) Major and minor thirds

                      b) Diminished triads

Chapter X  Five-tone scale in major with neighboring tones

Chapter XI Five-tone scale in minor with neighboring tones

Chapter XII Arpeggiated cadences

Chapter XIII The major scale

Chapter XIV The minor scale

Chapter XV Melodies not in major/minor tonality

Chapter XVI The dominant seventh chord

Chapter XVI The dominant ninth chord

Appendices I-V

Index

For advanced music students Palmqvist's Refinement of Rhythm Volume 2, and the accompanying Supplement for Rhythmic Dictation lay out a rigorous program of training to master the art of rhythmic performance on any instrument, and rhythmic notation.

Refinement of Rhythm Vol 2
Refinement of Rhythm Dictation Vol 2

Chapter 1 Subdivisions of the Basic Beat

Chapter 2 Single and Double Dotted Figures

Chapter 3 Extended Single and Double Dotted Figures

Chapter 4 Dotted Figures with Subdivisions

Chapter 5 Upbeats

Chapter 6 Inversion of Dotted Figures and Simple Syncopated Figures

Chapter 7 Simple Syncopated Figures with Subdivisions

Chapter 8 Extended Syncopated Figures

Chapter 9 Extended Syncopated Figures and

                    Inversions of Dotted Figures with Subdivisions

Chapter 10 Unaccented Beats

Chapter 11 Extended Triplets

Chapter 12 Triplets with Subdivisions

Chapter 13 Triplets with Extended Subdivisions

 

Asymmetrical Meters

Chapter 14 Quintuple Meters (2+3; 3+2; Mixed)

                      Septuple Meters (2+2+3; 2+3+2; 3+2+2; Mixed)

Chapter 15 Shifting Meters and Extension of Asymmetrical Meters

                      a) Constant beat values

                      b) Variable beat values

                      c) Variable beat division from simple to compound with a constant pulse

                      d) Variable beat duration

Chapter 16 Hemiolas

 

Polyrhythms

Chapter 17 Triplets

                      3 against 2

                      3 against 2 with Subdivisions

                      3 against 4

Chapter 18 Duplets and Quadruplets

                      2 against 3

                      4 against 3

Chapter 19 Quintuplets

                      5 against 2

                      5 against 3

                      5 against 4

Chapter 20 Septuplets

                      7 against 2

                      7 against 3

                      7 against 4

Appendices I-V

Index

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