polyrhythms
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A New Perspective on Polyrhythms, Part 2
The easiest way to create a five-over-two polyrhythm is to play quintuplet single strokes across two different surfaces.
A New Perspective on Polyrhythms, Part 1
The easiest way to think about a two-over-five polyrhythm is that you have two equally spaced notes across five beats.
Multilayered Polyrhythms - Rhythmic Puzzles for Your Mind and Body
Last month we concluded our two-part introduction to polyrhythms with an example that combined multiple polyrhythms within one phrase. In this lesson, we’ll continue layering multiple polyrhythms to take the previous ideas to an even deeper level. These exercises will…
A New Perspective - Displacing Three-Over-Four Polyrhythms
A three-over-four polyrhythm is comprised of sets of three equally spaced notes and four equally spaced notes that occupy the same timeframe. Typically both sides of the polyrhythm start together on the same note and utilize the same subdivision. If…
Septuplet Fives - Polyrhythmic Permutation
Seven over five can be a challenging polyrhythm to master. We’ll start building this rhythm by playing every fifth septuplet partial in a measure of 5/4. It can take plenty of dedicated practice to master this figure, especially when we…
Jazz Drummer's Workshop - Polyrhythms
What is usually meant when one hears a description of the term polyrhythm is a misinterpretation of the term polymeter. Polymeters are two or more meters usually related mathematically, and played simultaneously. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…
Rock Perspectives: Polyrhythms
In the third part of this series (November ’09), we applied a four-against-three polyrhythm to either the ride cymbal or the bass drum, while the snare drum played the backbeats on 2 and 4. Now let’s take things a step…
Progressive Drumming Essentials, Part 2: Demystifying Polyrhythms
Rock Perspectives Progressive Drumming Essentials Part 2: Demystifying Polyrhythms by Aaron Edgar Polyrhythms, which are two contrasting subdivisions played simultaneously, can create beautifully hypnotic, entrancing patterns that dance around the pulse. They can also weave themselves into complete and utter…
A New Perspective - Displacing Two-Over-Three Polyrhythms
This month we’re going to vary the basic phrasing of polyrhythms. Typically, both sides of a polyrhythm begin together on the first note of the rhythm. We can vary this by displacing one or both sides of the rhythm. We’ll…
