Odd Time Reading Text: For All Instruments : Rhythmic Studies Designed to Develop Accuracy and Speed in Sight Reading As Applied to Odd Time Signatures [Paperback]

Louis Bellson (Author), Gil Breines (Compiler), Henry Adler (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1999

Now a standard in music education literature, this in-depth study takes the fear out of playing in time signatures other than 4/4. In a methodical manner, this book aids in rounding out any player's rhythmic and reading vocabulary. Perfect for all musicians wanting to play odd times with ease.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Warner Bros Pubns (July 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0769233724
• ISBN-13: 978-0769233727
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Odd Time Is !, June 10, 2000

By 

Örn Leifsson (Reykjavik Iceland.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Odd Time Reading Text: For All Instruments : Rhythmic Studies Designed to Develop Accuracy and Speed in Sight Reading As Applied to Odd Time Signatures (Paperback)

This book is from 1968 but it's still a very good book to start your Odd Time studies with. You have to know how to read music to use it (if dont know how to do that you could check out the books by Robert Starer).

Although written by a very famous drummer this is not a drumset book, but an exercise book written to develop your sight reading skill and understanding of Odd Rhythms, and it is suitable for everyone no matter what instrument you play, the examples are not melodic, just written on one note, so the focus is on the Rhythm, and the examples are from simple to quite complicated.

The book deals with Rhythms in 3,5,6,7,8,9 and 12, with either the quarter or eighth or sixteenth note as the basic pulse. There are sections dealing with changing metres also. The book is about 130 pages so there is a lot of stuff here, the exercices start simple and then gradualy get more complicated.

A fine book, Highly Recommended.

Other good rhythm book Authors are Alan Dworsky, Gary Hess, Peter Magadini, Reinhard Flatichler, Gary Chaffee and Gavin Harrison.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars be a god of all things rhythmic, July 26, 2008

By 

Grant S. Mclellan (Vancouver Island, B.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Odd Time Reading Text: For All Instruments : Rhythmic Studies Designed to Develop Accuracy and Speed in Sight Reading As Applied to Odd Time Signatures (Paperback)

This is the most intense and thorough advanced rhythmic reading text that you can probably find anywhere. I'm a professional guitarist who likes to play and write in a wacky fusion-esque style. Since tapping into this book my writing and improvising has morphed into realms that I never expected to ever experience. You should already have an okay understanding of basic sixteenth note rhythms before you jump into this book. To quickly advance to that level may I recommend Rhythmic Training by Robert Starer. If you want to take your reading, improvising and musicality to the ionosphere, these two books are the ticket !!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review for Odd Time Reading Text, July 12, 2010

By 

David A. Echeverria (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Odd Time Reading Text: For All Instruments : Rhythmic Studies Designed to Develop Accuracy and Speed in Sight Reading As Applied to Odd Time Signatures (Paperback)

I didn't start playing until about three and half years ago, and already i sight read better than expected. I've met drummers who've been playing drums for 10 or more years, and have yet bothered to learn how to sight read. As a result, they've either struggled playing in a big band or have simply quit playing all together. To play in such a band or in a studio (for that matter), knowing how to read a chart and not knowing can mean the difference between getting paid to play, or NOT.

Although this is an advanced book, it is essential in familiarizing yourself with odd time groupings - as it is quite common with 20th Century music. The Reading in 4/4 Time book is a prerequisite and should be worked with before attempting this one. Also, a metronome that has 3+2, 2+3, 4+3, etc., groupings is recommended. If there is anything that I've learned in my so-few years of experience, is that it is not about how long you've been playing, but how much you've put into it.