Time Lines for Percussion - Improve Your Rhythm and Reading Skills

The Time Lines music method for percussion teaches students how to count and play rhythms accurately, how to improve their rhythm and reading skills, and how to broaden their overall musical awareness. It guides students through a fun, stepwise process of playing rhythm exercises and patterns, melodies, and Time Games. The Time Games are short pieces that can be played as duets with another percussion or with any other band instrument. They are fun but challenging pieces that ensure that students are counting and playing rhythms carefully. The books are equally effective for individual or group study. Scroll down for examples of melodies from Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion.

The melodies and Time Games for all concert band instruments are written in the same key, so that woodwinds, brass, and percussion can play the pieces together.

Purchase Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion

Purchase Time Lines Music Method for Percussion Book 1 by Kyle Coughlin

Purchase the print version of Time Lines for Percussion Book 1 from Lulu.com.
Purchase the PDF version of Time Lines for Percussion Book 1 from Payhip.com
A free sample PDF of Unit 1 of Book 1 is also available so you can see how the material in the book is organized and presented.

Range of pitches used in the melodies in Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion

The melodies and Time Games in Book 1 of Time Lines use a limited pitch range, as shown above, so you can focus more on playing rhythms accurately, keeping a steady tempo, and feeling and enjoying the music you are playing. Each Unit in the book progresses gradually so that students first learn to play on the beat, then play notes longer than a beat, and then subdivide the beat.

The book is written so that students can play it on pitched or unpitched percussion. The melodies and Time Games can be played on pitched percussion, but snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, or any other percussion can play along, too.

In all, Book 1 includes 138 one-measure rhythm exercises, 126 rhythm patterns, 126 melodies, and 72 Time Games, that will help you improve your skills.

Play along with videos and recordings of the rhythm exercises, rhythm patterns, and melodies by following the links below. You can also see samples of the sheet music for the percussion melodies in Time Lines.

At this point, I am busy working on completing the videos and example pages. I will add them and include links as soon as I can.

Follow these links to jump to the practice example audio and video:
Time Lines Rhythm Exercises
Time Lines Rhythm Patterns
Time Lines Melodic Phrases

Introductions and Explanations:
Unit 1: Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests in 2/4 and 3/4 Time Signatures
Unit 2: How to Play Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests in 4/4 Time Signature
Unit 3: How to Play Half Notes and Half Rests
Unit 4: How to Play Dotted Half Notes, Whole Notes, and Whole Rests
Unit 5: How to Play Eighth Notes
Unit 6: How to Play Dotted Quarter Notes
Unit 7: How to Play Pickup Notes
Unit 8: How to Play Ties Over Measure Lines

Examples of Melodic Phrases from Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion

You can purchase the book to practice over two hundred more melodies, exercises, patterns, and Time Games.
Buy the PDF version of Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion.
Buy the print version of Time Lines Book 1 for Percussion.

Here are some samples of the short melodies (Melodic Phrases) for percussion that are in the book. Make sure to practice the corresponding exercises and patterns first, though. Select any of the links below to hear and play along with audio examples of the Melodic Phrases.