Ear Training - Syncopated Rhythms in Simple and Compound Time

Today’s Spotify Playlist: “UI Aural Skills III Syncopations” by user “mirandawilson”

This week, we will notate rhythmic dictations that feature syncopated rhythms.

There are three broad types of syncopations:

• syncopations that cross barlines
• syncopations that cross beats
• syncopations within beats

The images below show examples of all three types of syncopations as we might find them in simple time and in compound time.

Tips for Success

• The usual conditions for success apply here too, such as taking careful note of the number of beats in the measure, beat note, and possible divisions and subdivisions of the beat. Please review all the time signatures and their beat notes.
• Normal notation conventions such as beaming still apply. What changes is the use of ties. Ties will be used to notate various syncopations that cross beats and barlines.
• During the dictation, conduct along using your non-writing hand. Keeping to a strict beat is key to figuring out the syncopations, since the definition of a syncopation is a rhythm that is at odds with the normal pattern of accentuated beats.
• If in doubt: subdivide!
• As always, practice error detection by writing a “dummy rhythm.” You may use any common rhythmic pattern you like. Simply write it above the staff, erase notes when they are incorrect, and replace them with the actual pattern. Remember, guesses at exam questions are almost always better than blank spaces!