Seems like something that may be useful. Using the system I learned when I started playing music. Quarter notes and quarter rests, wanting to start with the basics.
I would say quarter notes/rest are the thing to start with, there are actually some challenges with sustained notes. Will probably do a few more videos like this, possibly a new class on rhythm to get even farther into it.
Let me know if you have questions.
KT says
Excellent lesson! Counting is more difficult than I ever would have imagined! I am working on counting, sight reading, and scales. I still find the metronome distracting. Tapping my foot seems more natural and more effective.
Neal says
The metronome keeps perfect time.
Tapping your foot will be more connected to you, but could be less accurate.
You might try both using the metronome and tapping your foot.
Even working on tapping your foot with the metronome without a saxophone.
jeff patin says
what is 6/8 or 8/8? I want to play like david Sanborn now! must master the basics frist, thanks for reality check.
Neal says
6/8 means that eighth notes get a beat and that there are six beats in a measure. It has a feeling of ‘being in three’ like a waltz.
Don’t worry about it too much quite yet, you probably want to work on things that are more fundamental first. Much like you shouldn’t work on altissimo week one of playing the saxophone.
If there is a song you want to learn right now that is in 6/8 let me know though.
Bengt says
Yes, I have been working on “Little walz” played by Ron Carter and Houston Person for quite some time. I still do not feel I can play it well. The octave changes is a hurdle.
Ted says
This is great Neal. Looking forward to the same analysis of lines 3, 4, 5 & 6 of the Rhythm Eye Chart.
Neal says
Thanks Ted,
You should be very comfortable with quarters and eighth notes/rests before moving onto the sixteenths and triplets though.
Hiram N. says
This definitely helps to practice timing. Sometimes we just need to go back to the basics. I’m in such a hurry to master this that I forget to slow down. Videos like this helps me stay on track. Keep them coming.
Neal says
Thanks Hiram, finished the followup video today.
Bengt says
I want more of this kind of stuff! By the way, what is the difference counting 3/4 or 4/4 compared to 6/8 or 8/8? Is it just that you break it up into finer details in 6/8 or 8/8? 3/4 and 6/8 has the same rythm, has it not? But 6/8 allows for more detail.
Neal says
Hey Bengt,
So there are two numbers in each of the time signatures you listed, a number on top and a number on bottom.
The top number is the number of beats in a measure, the lower number is the kind of note that gets one beat.
3/4 and 4/4 each mean that a quarter note gets one beat because the lower number is 4 in each case. 3/4 has 3 beats in a measure though and 4/4 has 4.
6/8 means that eighth notes get a beat and that there are six beats in a measure.
Time signatures ‘in three’ include 3/4 and 6/8. They have a similar feel, something like what you hear in a waltz. You also may notice that 3/4 and 6/8 are the same ratio.
You could write the same music in different time signatures and it would sound the same (varying the tempo), but how things are written affects the comfort of reading things and how they are perceived. Something may ‘look’ faster or slower, etc.