Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin, and today I’m responding to a great viewer question. Someone asked if I could do an updated explanation of dotted rhythms, specifically using the first bars of Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata as an example. They mentioned still struggling to count the dotted rhythms there—and frankly, I understand. You’d be surprised how many performances of the Pathétique have imprecise rhythm at the opening!
How to Count the Rhythm Accurately
The first few measures of the Pathétique Sonata are instantly recognizable, but they require real rhythmic discipline to play correctly. Here’s the trick: you need to understand where the beats fall—and more importantly, where the subdivisions lie. I’ll often count while practicing, just to show the placement. But that’s just a means to an end. What you really need is to internalize the pulse and subdivide accurately.
Let’s say you’re just counting quarter notes—that’s a good start, but it’s not enough. If you rely solely on that, you’ll find it nearly impossible to keep tempo consistent when playing those dotted rhythms. Instead, you must feel both the main beat and the subdivisions—those quicker underlying pulses that help you place notes precisely.
Subdivision: The Key to Rhythmic Accuracy
For example, when you break down that opening rhythm, you’re really working with eighth notes. You need to feel them internally—even if you’re not playing every one. By subdividing, you’re able to execute those dotted rhythms with clarity and confidence. While subdividing the 32nd notes, you keep the larger 8th note beat in mind so your tempo doesn’t drift. That’s the balancing act: subdividing accurately while maintaining the pulse of the larger beats.
Playing Piano Is No Easy Feat!
This is what makes playing the piano so challenging—and so rewarding! You’re juggling multiple layers of awareness all at once. People often ask why the piano is considered so difficult. Well, imagine trying to keep rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, and finger technique all aligned in your two hands—and that’s just one passage!
The Secret? Break It Down
The good news is there’s a method to the madness. Whether you’re working on rhythm, sight-reading, memorization, technique, or theory, the secret is to break everything down into manageable steps. That’s the heart of my teaching: showing how to approach each of these pillars with a structured, clear methodology.
If you’re curious about how I teach these concepts in more depth, click here for more resources.
Once again, I’m Robert Estrin, and this is LivingPianos.com—Your Online Piano Resource. Thanks so much for joining me, and happy practicing!