5 Tips for How to Teach Rhythm to the Piano Student Who “Just Doesn’t Get It”

How to teach rhythm to Piano students?

It can be one of the more frustrating experiences that a piano teacher has, you’re trying to get a student to correct a rhythm. You’re counting it out and demonstrating, they join in tapping and it seems like they’ve sussed it: hurrah! But when they put their hands back on the piano they can’t quite combine the rhythm they just tapped and the notes they need to play. 

Rhythm and beat competency is a skill, and it comes more easily to some of us than others. (I have lost count of the times I have been at a music concert and some of the adults in the audience can’t clap in time even when the performers start us off clapping!)

Rhythm needs to be felt (i.e. clapping, swaying, tapping a foot) and connected to sound (i.e music) and then sight (i.e. sheet music).

Here are five engaging strategies for building strong rhythmic foundations in even your most rhythmically challenged students.

#1: Clap Along to Music Together

For students who are particularly struggling, go back to basics by getting your student feeling and listening for the beat. You could use a recording of music and clap along together, then ask your student to clap by themselves. Or you could play simple pieces on the piano and ask them to find the beat and clap along (this is slightly harder to correct though since you can’t clap and play!)

You can also play a game where you use a song that the student is familiar with. Tell them to start clapping and continue when you mute the song (but let it keep playing) – see are they still in time when you unmute the song? Have they managed to continue the tempo – it’s fascinating to see that 

You can continue these exercises but increase the difficulty by switching to clapping a pattern along with a recording or you playing. I’ve found “Hot to Go” by Chappell Roan a good song to try these exercises with. It has a strong beat, and your students are likely familiar with who she is. Try continuing the rhythm of the first “H-O-T-T-O-G-O” whilst she is singing “snap and clap and touch your toes…. Etc.”.

#2: Single out the Rhythm

Think about the music your student is trying to play. Now recognize the overload that sheet music can be – how many different things are we expected to do at once? Notes, rhythm, hand co-ordination, proper technique and don’t forget the correct tempo, contrasting dynamics and articulation.

Close the piano lid and draw out the difficult rhythm on a piece of paper or a white board. The only goal is to master the rhythm of the isolated bars. Try tapping your foot, clapping or using percussion instruments like a hand held drum or bells. 

Join my free facebook group to get my Rhythm Rumble game. This game is perfect to isolate rhythms and make up your own patterns to practice and perfect rhythm. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NocturneNotes 

#3: Set the metronome to subdivisions

Is it quavers that your student is struggling with? Try setting the metronome to click for quavers instead of the beat. Make sure to start with a slow tempo! Unless I am trying to assess a student’s ability to read a rhythm, I find it is best to demonstrate how the section fits with the metronome set to the subdivisions – sometimes a student’s natural instinct might be to play twice as fast! This strategy can be applied to any subdivision as your student needs.

#4: Play Duets together

When you play the accompaniment (starting with simple repertoire when you have a rhythmically steady part) you become in effect an unrelenting metronome – don’t slow down or match your student no matter how tempting it can be!

Your student will likely immediately realise they’ve gone wrong, whether that be not matching your tempo or trying to redo a bar and then realising the two of you are no longer in sync! It’s a great way for students themselves to find sections that need to be worked on – correction without criticism.

#5: Case Study: ‘Y’, My rhythmically challenged student

Many years ago I had a student, ‘Y’, who really struggled with rhythm. They had poor beat competency and just didn’t seem to have an inner sense of beat at all. Even if I played something very simple on the piano (e.g. repeating crotchets), Y could not clap along in time.

I started really simple – we clapped along to music together, starting with simple classical and instrumental pieces. Music with a clear beat, but without too many distractions (like lyrics). Gradually transitioning from clapping along together to Y finding the beat and clapping along alone.

We played my Rhythm Rumble game (get your own copy for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NocturneNotes)

I followed everything I have put in the tips above. It needed regular, consistent practice in lessons and improvement was certainly a gradual process. But over the course of about 2 years, Y’s sense of rhythm improved from nearly non-existent to being able to play duets successfully in their grade exams!

Stop Searching, Start Teaching

Building a strong sense of rhythm moves us past rigidly counting while playing and into the exciting stage of musicianship where you can play with others! Let’s face it, jamming and playing with your friends and siblings when you’re growing up is one of the best parts of playing an instrument! 

If you’re looking for a collection of unique, effective resources designed to weave together theory and practical application—and banish rhythm woes—then you need to see what I have planned.

The Piano Teacher’s Music Vault is launching soon to fill your studio with fun, practical resources. Sign up for the wait list now and simplify your lesson planning! Sign up here: The Piano Teacher’s Music Vault