Valparaiso, Indiana

# 1

Learning syncopated rhythms are essential for the advanced oboist.  Progressing to book three in your band books series and adding the Advanced Oboe Method by Rhubank there will be more challenging literature to perform including exercises,  major and minor scales, melodies, duets, and classical literature for oboe.

# 2

Syncopation is when the accent or emphasis is on the notes on the upbeat rather than on the downbeat.  Music starts to become more interesting and more exciting with syncopated rhythms and rhythm patterns.  Again, the secret to success in playing syncopated rhythms is playing the silence between the notes.   It is the silence  between the notes that gives rhythms their style and excitement.

# 3

Continue to feel the beat on the downbeat and upbeat and not just on e the downbeat.  With syncopation we are most interested in the notes on the upbeat.  In book three there are a variety of examples of syncopated rhythms within the styles of Spiritual, Jazz, Swing, Classical,  Popular, and Dance music.

# 4

In learning new syncopated rhythms keep the beat slow but steady.  With practice you can increase the speed of the beat (tempo); however, it is best to begin with a slow steady beat to feel both the upbeat and downbeat of each syncopated rhythm pattern .

# 5

Take a pencil and mark every downbeat in every bar of each composition you are performing.  The notes on the upbeat are those not marked.  A simple mark on each downbeat makes the learning of the syncopated rhythmic patterns much easier to read and to hear.