Hi, do you think it is possible to teach someone rhythm, or is something that some people have, and some just don't?

Her grade 1 comments for her pieces and sight reading all mentioned that the rhythm wasn't always consistent, and its something she still struggles with now. She is doing grade 2 piano in June, and grade 1 violin, and its getting really difficult!

I try getting her to clap a 2/4 and 3/4 rhythm, which she can do along with me, but to a piece of music she claps along randomly! I will also ask her to clap the treble clef in a piece of music, and if its all crotchets she's ok, anything else and its just a mess!

Totally nothing to do with music (although maybe to do with rhythm) when she does dancing (or step on the wii fit) she can never seem to keep to a steady even beat, and is often out of synch with the music.

Do some people just have a lack of rhythm that no amount of teaching can change or is it possible to teach. It doesn't help that she is a rather 'spirited' child (for want of a better word ) and doesn't like being told things, referring to think she is always right

It is possible to teach rhythm.

One of my lovliest students struggled for years with rhythm. In the early days he played so much by ear that I didn't notice enough but around Gd 3 I realised that he couldn't clap and count a steady beat together, never mind subdivide crotchet beats into quavers. Sometimes he could but not consistently, what concerned me most was that he didn't notice when he did it wrong.

We did a LOT of movement with pulse. Stepping, jogging, banging drums, saying rhythm words, counting the pulse and playing the rhythms on open strings. I reminded myself to be patient every lesson. At the point when he DID start to notice that he was doing something wrong and getting cross with himself I offered big encouragement.

Part of the issue for your daughter may well be co-ordination, as it was for my student. I suspect that since she does not always agree with your interpretation of 'correct rhythm' you might well avoid some stress by asking for some extra lessons just to work on rhythm, maybe with a teacher who likes teaching aural skills?

Thanks, what you've said about your student describes Hannah exactly. She has her piano lesson later today so I'll definitely speak to her teacher about it and see if we can get a plan together to start working on it

Thank you

I agree, I think it's teachable. My elder son had a mini Christmas tree thrown at him by a frustrated music teacher when he failed to clap a rhythm...some years later, I was surprised to hear him praised for his "innate sense of rhythm".

That suggests to me that some of it is just physical maturity - noticing the rhythm is one skill, but anticipating the rhythm and coordinating your clapping to occur AT THE SAME TIME as the beat is a bit harder for some children.

I like David's idea of having the child SET the rhythm and notice what happens first.

LOTS of children have this difficulty, and most go on to be very good at rhythm.

If you have a metronome, get your daughter to listen to it and sing something really simple to the beat. I'd recommend "Twinkle, twinkle" followed by "Baa Baa black sheep"; these tunes are very similar, except that the second has a more complicated rhythm. After a couple of goes, turn the real metronome off and take turns in "being the metronome" (i.e. clapping) while the other sings the tune. This should help her see the difference between pulse (metronome) and rhythm (song).

If she gets frustrated or can't pick it up easily, abandon it and leave it to her teachers. Might work though!

Yes, anyone can learn to improve their rhythmic ability.

I agree wholeheartedly with violincjj and David - if you can find a teacher who has some Dalcroze/Kodály training then they should really be able to help.

As David said, you don't HEAR the beat, you FEEL it - and physical movement is essential.

Again, understanding the difference between pulse and rhythm is also essential, as is understanding the relationship between the two (subdivisions of the beat).

Rhythm names are immensely helpful too.

A good Kodály/Dalcroze teacher should have plenty of teaching ideas which should help your daughter.

My girls have both always had good rhythm I think Tap dancing helped.