Rock Perspectives Progressive Drumming Essentials Part 3: Polyrhythmic Patterns by Aaron Edgar Last month we learned some of the theory behind polyrhythms, along with how to play these patterns in their most basic form. The next step is to learn how to use polyrhythms in grooves. Doing so will further ingrain them into your vocabulary while developing your pocket and internal pulse at the same time. Example 1 has 16th notes on the hi-hats and four equally spaced bass drum notes in a bar of 3/4. This gives us a basic phrasing of the four-over-three polyrhythm. It’s important that you feel the quarter note as your pulse, which is outlined by the accents on the hi-hats. If you’re feeling the bass drum as quarter notes, then you’re actually playing a different polyrhythm: three over four (Example 2). Our rhythmic perspective is just as important as being able to play the […]

September 2015 Issue