Easy Pop Rhythms, 3rd Ed, Pt. VII – Book Review

Last month concluded my series of posts on rhythm charts and included a chart for the song I’m a Believer. This month I wanted to review the book Easy Pop Rhythms (3rd edition) published by Hal Leonard which is a wonderful supplement for further rhythm chart studies. 

Easy Pop Rhythms contains rhythm charts for 20 songs of varied pop styles (country, grunge, 50’s rock, etc.…). The book has gone through several editions and some of the songs have since changed, but here is a listing of several tracks from the current 3rd edition:

· Jambalaya (Hank Williams)

· Rock Around the Clock (Bill Haley & The Comets)

· Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

· No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley)

· All Apologies (Nirvana)

The rhythm charts included for each song are simplified and only use open chords in order to make the songs accessible to beginning students. Moreover, the rhythm charts also outline the songs structure: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Solo and Outro. The song listing at the front of the book also denotes what chords are used in each song for easy reference.

Each song also has an accompanying play-a-long track; older versions of Easy Pop Rhythms came either with or without an accompanying CD. However, play-a-long tracks for the current 3rd edition are downloadable via the Hal Leonard website using an access code which comes with the book. The play-a-long tracks all have full band accompaniment however, the melody is not sung, but is played by a saxophone. Additionally, all tracks start with a measure long “metronome click” (2, 3 or 4 beats in length) to set the tempo for that particular song.

Easy Pop Rhythms retails for $14.99 and is a welcome supplement for teachers wishing to have their students gain a thorough understanding of rhythm charts. If you’d like to preview the book you may do so here.