Posted by Mary Ann on August 10, 2001 at 10:17:38:
In Reply to: Re: Student Questions.... posted by Paul Gramann on August 10, 2001 at 10:01:51:
I have an adult student with similar problems, because he never learned it correctly as a kid. For him, it is a concentration problem. He is concentrating on getting the notes right to the detriment of getting the rhythm right. Slowly over a period of about two years (!) I have managed to move his concentration point away from "only" pitch to include rhythm. It worked because he wanted to play in ensembles, and he was always getting lost. Maybe your student needs some reality training in playing in ensembles and finding he can't stay with the group? In the end, I think what was suggested above, having him play straight eighth notes all the way through, and then converting to the real rhythm, is one of the better methods. I've seen it used in high level master classes, on students who couldn't do it!!
Don't give up on the kid unless you're really tearing your hair out. With a little more maturity, he could get really interested and become the star you hoped for at the beginning.