"Put down that tablet, you've had too much screen time." Said almost every parent at sometime in a child's upbringing. But what if the child is playing a game they love that helps them learn music? Too much of even a good thing is not always healthy. Parents must decide on a healthy balance for use of screen time. Why not make that precious time include a fun game that teaches rhythm?
Over the years I have evaluated a number of apps and websites that teach music concepts and techniques. Rhythm Swing is by far one of the best. Steady rhythm is essential to playing music. To pass levels students must hold their finger on the touch screen the correct amount of time. If you lift before the 1/2 note gets two full beats, the alligator will eat you!
What makes Rhythm Swing User Friendly?
Unsure of the name of or how to count that funny looking black squiggle? Students can watch video tutorials that show them how to count values of notes and rests.
Stuck on a level? From the settings menu you can toggle from relaxed, normal or strict for your preferred amount of challenge.
It has cute graphics, explicit tutorials and fun tunes. The sequential levels give students the basic rhythm reading and playing skills needed to go on to learn complex rhythm patterns.
This app does its job in teaching students to count basic note patterns and waiting for rests. Once students have a firm foundation in reading basic patterns, they can move on to learn complex patterns in advance repertoire.
Unfortunately at this time it is only available for iOS devices. It works best on an iPad with at least a medium size screen.
Take Action
Rhythm Swing is in the app store and bundled with Flashnote Derby. Two great apps that compliment each other in that Flashnote Derby is one of the best apps for learning the names of notes. Look for my next blog post where I will give my best tips on learning note names and using Flashnote Derby.
The bundle is reasonably priced for a small one-time charge.
