using the rk course modules
The RK Lab Modules listed further below, are ordered from the ground up quite literally and physically. The other thing is that they all are presented from the inside and out. That means from the workings of the mind, through the brain, into the body, out to the instrument and then evaluated and processed in real time.
They all teach musicians to understand what and how to practice in a way that saves us many years of time. One should follow the suggested order.
After that, know that the modules are made to be combined with other RK exercises from other modules or from RK Books 2, 3, & 4. But you won’t know how to combine things unless you know what the exercises are based on and do.
One example with caution: you could learn the C & C Limb System (12 pairs ordered) that is presented with just ONE alternating sticking (1 0) from RK2 2 All the Permutations #2. Then move on to replace the (1 0) with any one of hundreds of additional stickings / time signatures between RK 2 and RK 3. However, you could be making it harder for yourself to have faster feet, or to let that C & C reach its full potential if you did not learn the Foot Module first! In fact, you should learn or know the Body, Hands & Feet, Feet, Hands, Timing and Coordination Courses first.
Why would we burn a flawed or dangerous technique into our memories thinking that we’re doing a good job by practicing a lot when we’re actually making it harder to improve?
TIMING: The concept of the course is to fit our notes/hits INTO time. But what is ‘time,’ where is it and how do we connect to it? There’s also a Tempo Advance Metronome tutorial in MISCELLANEOUS LESSONS Module.
BODY/HANDS/FEET: Understand that we are ONE body with ONE brain. Get the basic mechanics of that learned.
FEET: Feet touch the ground. They can monitor and manage balance. If we go off balance, nothing else matters as the hits will go out of time. Go step by step to develop proper technique.
HANDS; Learn the hand system in three parts according to each associated muscle group. Once you do this, there’s no technique or feasible speed that it out of reach and you will NOT get injured.
COORDINATION: Learn how to manage the many connections that your mind, voice and limbs offer.
C & C Limb System: Learn how make transitions between all limb pairs in a linear fashion (not hits that land together like the Coordination module.)
N.Q.D. (Not Quite Doubled) Binary rhythm system. This system FORCES us to order our time signature related pattern recognition from the inside out (mind, voice/timing, body.) It uses ODD note groupings that get easier to play as the system progresses ‘down hill’ from large to small groupings that contain more prime numbers than one could ever need to be able to play ANY rhythm MORE flawlessly than by breaking up large groupings into smaller ones.
POLYRHYTHMS ONE: Learn a staggering amount of mental skills to create a foundation that will allow you to master any polyrhythms of any type, length, tempo and kind. Almost the entire course uses just ONE (1 0) sticking. The same as the C & C and NQD systems.
MISCELLANEOUS: These many lessons that keep growing in number are based on questions Mike has been asked, as well as that use music examples.