Hi

I've just joined this forum in the hope of getting some help and advice on learning how to read rhythms.

I am desperate to play the sax as an adult learner and have been doing so for the last few years. I have no trouble recognising the pitch of written music and then finding the appropriate fingering. I do not seem to have made any progress in being able to count and read/play the written rhythms with any accuracy or consistency and this is now a significant barrier to progress.

That said I can do so on crotchets and quavers which are on the beat but as soon as there are dotted notes or syncopated rhythms then I'm lost. I have tried the 1+2+3+ etc approach and just can't do it. I liken myself to a child who is learning to read and struggles over the syllables rather than recgnising the word immediately.

I understand that there is a system of teaching/learning rhythms based on phonetics and this seems to me a very interesting method. I would be very grateful for any help advice at all but particularly if anyone can point me in the direction of a list of the words/sounds that equate to particular written rhythms.

Thanks

With complicated rhythms, I sometimes sing them out loud for a few times. Then I would play and sing at the same time. After that the rhythm will sink into my head.

A similar apporach can be applied to difficult syncopated rhythms, try to singing the rest beat aloud when you first play the piece and later "sing" the beat your head.

Listening to recordings also helps.

Good luck

This thread's a double by the way, use the other one.