Sixteenth-note rhythm exercises, from easy to hard
Sixteenth notes divide each beat into four, counted "1 e & a". With them come the figures you see in almost every pop, rock, funk and classical piece: gallops, dotted rhythms and syncopations on the "e" and the "a". grooph's generator introduces them in five levels.
The levels
Each level adds new one-beat figures; easier figures keep appearing.
| Level | New figures |
|---|---|
| 1 | quarter note, quarter rest, two eighths |
| 2 | eighth rest + eighth (note on "&") |
| 3 | four sixteenths, eighth + two sixteenths, two sixteenths + eighth |
| 4 | sixteenth-eighth-sixteenth, dotted eighth + sixteenth, rests inside the beat |
| 5 | figures starting with a sixteenth rest (notes on "e" and "a") |
Level 3: sixteenths on the beat
4
Level 4: dotted figures and inner rests
The dotted eighth plus sixteenth is a long-short "gallop", counted "1 – – a". The sixteenth-eighth-sixteenth figure is short-long-short: "1 e – a".
4
Level 5: notes on "e" and "a"
Every figure starts with a rest, so the first note comes a sixteenth after the click. These are the hardest to read – count every syllable.
4
Tips
- Say all four syllables ("1 e & a") even when there are rests – especially then.
- Slow down for level 5. 60 BPM is fast enough at first.
- Use ghost notes. In the generator, switch on ghost notes to hear quiet clicks on every sixteenth you don't play.
- Read the guide to counting sixteenth notes if a figure is unclear.
FAQ
How do you count a dotted eighth and a sixteenth?
The dotted eighth lasts three sixteenths ("1 e &"), the sixteenth falls on the "a". Say "1 – – a, 2 – – a".
What is the difference between level 4 and 5?
Level 4 figures still start on the beat (or with a full eighth rest). Level 5 figures start with a sixteenth rest, so the first note lands on the "e".