This is the basic sticking rhythm.
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ |^..^..^.|^..^..^.|
The exercises below will teach you how to play this rhythm.
Do each exercise until you feel very relaxed doing it. You'll
need a stick 4-6 feet long (a broom stick is fine) and a piece
of wood on the floor if you don't want to leave dents in the
floor. Sit in a chair which is low enough, and wear shoes, to
allow yourself to make noise when you stamp your heels.
Exercises:
1. Sing the basic rhythm, bum de-dum bum, bum de-dum bum.
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2. Sit in a chair and stamp heels to the down beat.
Your heels will always keep up a nice steady beat. You'll do
the fancy stuff with the stick. Keep singing.
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
3. Stop singing the basic rhythm. We're going to do the same
rhythm as in the last exercise, but now we're going to hit the
heels and the stick together. Just say: 'Both' each time you
strike the heels and stick.
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ |^...^...|^...^...|
4. Now alternate the stick and heel. Heel gets down beat,
stick gets up beat. Say 'Heel' when the heels hit and 'Stick'
when the stick hits, so you will be saying:
'Heel Stick Heel Stick, Heel Stick Heel Stick."
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ |..^...^.|..^...^.|
5. Now we are going to combine exercises three and four.
Sometimes we hit heels and stick together, sometimes we alternate
heels and stick. As you do the exercise repeat:
'Heel Stick Both, Heel Stick Both.' We're almost done!
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ |..^.^...|..^.^...|
6. Now we are going to add a quick stick beat just in front of
the 'Heel' When we strike that quick beat we'll just say 'Sti,'
because there isn't time to say 'Stick.' Now, as you play,
repeat: 'Sti-Heel Stick Both, Sti-Heel Stick Both.'
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heel:____ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ ^|..^.^..^|..^.^...|
7. Speed the above up and accent (make loud) the 'Both',
and you're done!
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heel:___ |^...^...|^...^...|
stick:__ |^..^..^.|^..^..^.|