Rhythm Catch Sheets, 1 - 3

Obviously rhythm work will not be limited to these three sheets; but they can provide valuable supplementary material.  They are fun to perform, and are a good way to get a lesson started, or bring it to a stimulating close.  They also have a secondary value in that good tuning is encouraged through the resonance of the chords, while the repeated notes encourage a free bowing action.

Keep it simple at the beginning - from "Michael Finnigin" choose just one rhythm for the whole class, and divide into three parts, A B and C, adding the teacher's melody line only later.
Do this with different rhythms, then allocate different rhythms to the different parts.
Step three is then to try juggling two rhythms, changing every two bars, at the double bar lines.

Sheet two comes some time later.  Note that the individual parts have their own technical point to focus upon - part A for example encouraging what I call "walking fingers", 3 to 1 to 3 to 1 etc. without using the second finger.   For teachers who have already introduced the half-way harmonics, part 3 could also provide useful revision for some pupils.

Sheet three, which again may be introduced some good time later, varies the format slightly, with the switch occuring every four bars, and with two beats' rest to gather one's thoughts!  As with all these sheets, the experience of the previous lessons paves the way, and there is real fun - and benefit - to be had from playing and at the same time thinking ahead of the rhythm to come.

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