Rock Perspectives
Modular Rock
by David Garibaldi
“Depending on what precedes this, the sticking may be:
The practicality of this study will depend on you. What is presented here are hand/foot combinations in modular form. Keep in mind that these exercises are designed to (1) help you build technical facility and (2) enlarge your thinking so you can develop stylistically. Any of these modules can be put together to form time patterns in quarter note and eighth note meters.
(Drop the double bars and repeat marks separating the patterns and you’ve got one bar of 4/4 time.)
(Do the same again and you’ve got one bar of 5/8 time.)
…Or, these may be played individually as coordination exercises…
Within the thirty modules you’ll find varying degrees of challenge ranging from easy to difficult. The real challenge in these exercises will be in playing two or more of them together and then holding these time feels for extended periods of time. This modular concept is adaptable to any of your ideas if you’ll take the time to work them out. I’ve heard it said that the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary. With considerable work and effort, our successes will be many. Have fun!
Added excitement dept.
[A] Substitute T.T. for B.D. whenever B.D. is written as an eighth-note or sixteenth-note. Do this in all exercises except 7, 8, 27, and 30.
[B] Play quarter note B.D., then substitute H.H. w/L.F. for B.D. whenever B.D. is written as a sixteenth-note.
[C] Same as B except any B.D. written as an eighth-note, substitute T.T. Metronome markings should vary—slow, medium, and fast tempos.
Copyright 1981 John David Garibaldi
