notating rhythm

[lycanthrope]

i have a real problem notating rhythm - for ear training, im constantly transcribing music.
I notate everything in tab (i want to just move to notating in manuscript form..but!) i find it IMPOSSIBLE to notate the rhythms without using the wrong kinds of rhythmic notes (8ths, 16ths)... i just, i try and try and its always wrong or out of time. It drives me crazy, because i can play the song perfectly, but want to publish my transcriptions and arrangements online.

Whats the advice, any books or anything ... i duno, im really annoyed by this.
yon.

[bdemon]

Assuming you know what all those little symbols (quarter, 8th, etc.), it's really just a matter of experience, doing it and checking your work. In college ear training class we had to visit the lab and deal with an evil machine called the Tapmaster. You'd put in a cassette (yeah, old school technology!), then listen to silly grooves like the Sanford & Son theme. Then we'd have to tap the exact rhythms in the workbook on this machine that could tell if we were in time or not. Evil...

Then again, I recall my rhythm transcription's getting better as I did more sight reading, so maybe you should get yourself Mel Bay Grade One and slog through some Civil War tunes. :)

Or some other sight reading books. Even the simple ones will get you internalizing the rhythms more. Then you'll hear a rhythm from a favorite song and go, "Hey, a dotted eight--just like Amazing Grace!"