16th Notes with Ties

Warning! This May Be Difficult!

Adding ties to sixteenth note rhythms allows composers to write very complex rhythms. These rhythms can be hard to dictate and play.

To review Sixteenth Notes see Sixteenth Notes.

To review Ties go to Ties.

For a review of Dotted Notes see Dotted Notes.

How To Learn Rhythms with Ties

Here are a few tips for learning rhythms with ties:

• Learn the rhythm without the ties first. Then, when you can do the rhythm without the tie, practice it with the tie.
• Practice the rhythm very slowly and then speed it up. Consider starting at half speed. For instance, you can tap the eighth note as the beat instead of the quarter.
• Know where the down beats fall in the rhythm. Use them to help keep track of the beat.
• Hear the subdivisions of the beat. Try to keep the 16th note pulse going in your head so that you can precisely place each note.
• Listen to the rhythm and try to memorize how it sounds and feels as you tap the beat.

Examples of 16th Rhythms with Ties

Below are ten examples of rhythms using 16ths and ties.

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