When you start off playing an instrument the rhythms are quite easy. But soon enough you may find yourself wondering how to play triplets! Triplets are one of those funny rhythms that can be difficult to learn unless you have a little trick up your sleeve. Read on to discover one of these tricks that I will be sharing with my students this week.
How to Play Triplets
I will be teaching my students O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus. This song is riddled with triplets and dotted eighth notes. Neither of my students have played these before. So, we’re going to use fruit to help us. Fruit?! Yes!
In the following example we will say “grapes” for each quarter note (quaver). Then, for the triplets we will say straw-berr-y. Finally, we will end by saying “cant-e-lope” for each dotted eighth note-sixteenth note-quarter note combination. The following example will be spoken, “Grape straw-berr-y cant-e-lope cant-e-lope grape.”
Example:
Perhaps you feel silly speaking nonsense while playing a serious song. But trust me, it works! Now it’s your turn to try. Use your favourite words to help with other tricky rhythms. Be sure to come back and tell us your favourites in the in the comments below. Happy counting!
Did this article help teach you how to play triplets? I’d love to hear about your success!