Developing Rhythmic Control
To become a good Rock sax player, it is important to have control over exactly where in the bar you play and where you don’t play. A good way to develop this ability is to concentrate totally on rhythm by using only one note and to play it in all different rhythmic positions within a bar.
The following examples begin with a pair of eighth notes played on each beat of the bar and then move on to groups of four notes played in various different positions. Take care with example 22 which is more syncopated. Syncopation means displacing the normal flow of accents, usually from on the beat to off the beat. For an introduction to syncopation, see Progressive Beginner Saxophone. It is important to count as you play the following examples and try to memorize each one.
