How to Play a 6/8 Rhythm Fast and Rhythmically

Written by Zlata Brouwer
Published: July 14, 2015 at 7:23 AM [UTC]

In this episode I answer a question from one of our viewers. Stella writes:

Hello Zlata
6/8 rhythm is very difficult for me to play both fast and rhythmically. PLEEEAAASE,help me.
Love, Stella from Slovenia.

Lots of people aren't used to playing a 6/8 rhythm. They tend to play this rhythm note for note: 1 2 3 4 5 6. Because if this playing fast is difficult and becomes sloppy. That's not the way to do it.

The way to do it is to find the rhythmical pulse in the piece. This pulse is most of the times on the 1 and the 4.

In the video I demonstrate how to do it right and wrong.

If you read something out loud, you read word for word and sentence for sentence, not letter for letter. If you have a pulse on the 1 and the 4, you don't play note for note, but you create musical words.

Faster pieces can have the pulse of an 6/8 rhythm only on the first beat.

If you make a whole of the parts and you play with a rhythmical pulse, it's much easier to play fast and rhythmically.

Is this video helpful to you? Please let me know in the comments below! If you like it, share it with your friends!

Love,

Zlata

PS: Do you have questions or struggles on violin or viola playing? Post a comment below or send an e-mail to info@violinlounge.com and I might dedicate a Violin Lounge TV episode to answering your question!

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