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This book is ideal for professionals and students studying the SFM. If you are an educator interested in studying the method visit here.
This book is specifically designed for intermediate and advanced bassists looking to strengthen their rhythmic abilities. Concepts from primarily Levels 1-4 from the SFM are addressed here including:
•Correct Biomechanics to maximize technique, tone, and avoid injuries
•Alignment and Calibrations
•Duration Exercises that make or break a groove
•Syncopations as newly defined in the SFM and their displacements
•Daily rhythm training exercises
•How to build a rhythmic vocabulary
•Practicing on or off your instrument with The Rhythm Compass™
•Rhythmic Perception
Examples of Topics
Madigan is known for his striking ability to rapidly isolate the root of rhythmic timing issues and a huge part of this is in biomechanics. Often bassists play with a collapsed wrist which not only decreases technical ability and efficiency, but can lead to tendonitis and other movement issues over time. There are numerous pages with pictures and exact descriptions of how to move in a way that will increase your rhythmic perception (feel), tone, and speed.
Alignment and calibrations are a prerequisite to studying and mastering any type of rhythmic material. Specific exercises are given that teach you how to calibrate your rhythmic feel and timing in a way that’s mathematically precise; this is similar to how tuning your instrument is a must before playing.
Syncopation has been widely regarded by top music theorists as confusing and hard to define. This is because it has not been fully understood up until now. With Madigan’s revolutionary theory of rhythm, syncopation is clarified and redefined to align with the rhythmic principle of SPACE or rests. This cutting up of time through the use of rests leads to syncopated shapes as they’re called in the SFM which can then be rotated/displaced and further syncopated. Exercises are included here for you to rapidly build a rhythmic vocabulary.
Compilation pages allow you to practice most of the extremely important rhythm concepts in this book as a daily exercise to ensure your rhythmic ability progresses quickly.
About the Author
Curtis Madigan is a graduate from Berklee College of Music where he attended on a guitar performance scholarship. His students have gone on to attend top music schools and he’s trained thousands of students in his method. As a music education visionary Madigan invented The Sound Formation Method™, The Rhythm Compass™, and a comprehensive theory of rhythm.
