12-18-24 Exercise, Part 1   This month we’re going to challenge your hands by playing triplets as 12th notes, 18th notes, and 24th notes, with and without accents. (We’ll use two other stickings in the second installment.) First let’s define these rhythms. The 12th notes are simply 8th-note triplets (there are twelve in a bar of 4/4). The 18th notes, or “nine-lets,” are a polyrhythm comprising triplets played over two quarter-note triplets (this totals eighteen notes to the bar). The 24th notes are 16th note triplets (sextuplets). The four variations we’re playing in these two articles have their inherent challenges. Each requires modifications in technique, stick height, and touch. I normally avoid metronome markings in lessons so that students can choose tempos that work best for them. But for the purpose of describing the different techniques required here, I’ll use 120 bpm as a reference. While the exercise is short […]

May 2013 Issue