Thinking Behind Excercises

[Sinder]

Hello,
Does anyone want to share their stream of thought about doing exercises,
for example while doing Interval Identification, as i read before on this forum, most successful way is to compare it with a melody you know.

But what about Rhythm imitation? As i see it, there are two ways of trying to do that:
1. Just remembering the rhythm as it sounds, it works fine for me for 1 or 2 bars, but starting with 3 bars, i start to mix the order of bars and the notes.
2. Counting the beats, and memorizing the rhythm in more of a note way, but problem here is that in mind the beats i count mix the ones i try to remember.

I know i will figure it out and improve my memory, but it would be nice to hear your opinions, (for other exercises as well)

[secretbasalt]

Both methods you mentioned are useful, but combining them can make rhythm imitation easier. First, listen and feel the rhythm naturally (internalize the groove), then lightly count or subdivide beats only where tricky passages occur. Practicing with a metronome and clapping or tapping before playing can also strengthen memory. Over time, your ear will handle longer patterns without overthinking.