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Thread: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

  1. #1

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    Default is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    hey guys ive been drumming for about two years and ive recently become interested in polyrhythms. i was playing around on my kit today and i messed around with this weird beat until i found a way for each thing i was playing to match up and start over at the same time. anyways i have a few questions about what exactly it is that i played.

    for it to all start over at the same time, i was counting
    1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 on a cymbal and
    i was doing 7 bass kicks (double bass at twice the tempo of the cymbal) that would end on the four, then rest on the 5, then start again on the 1 and end on the next 4 and so on. and i was hitting the snare on
    1, between 2 and 3, 4, between 5 and 1 and so on. so if the double bass was going the whole time it would be every 3 bass kicks. and the whole thing repeats perfectly every three counts of 5 like i typed up there.

    so is this considered a polyrhythm? and if so then what would the timings of the cymbal, bass, and snare be? and what does it mean that it repeats every 3 counts of 5 instead of 4?

    i apologize for me having good music terminology. i completely understand it in my head and thats the best i can explain it via the computer. anyways it sounds pretty cool when it all comes together clean and ive been playing with a lot of different combinations of this and its super fun!
    thanks in advance for any help!

  2. #2

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    its usually called a polyrhythm or hemiola where there are two patterns that are played within a set time frame using different subdivisions of the quarternote. yours for instance would be 5 against 7. most commons are 3 against 2 and 4 against 3. if you are playing quarternotes on one hand and triplets on the other in the same tempo you start and end the same but are playing 4 against 3.


    hope that makes sense

  3. #3

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    If all beats are based on a pattern of 5, then I would say it is an odd meter groove rather than a poly rhythm. I would like to hear it though...sounds interesting.

    Now if you eliminated the rest on beat 5 for the kick pattern and played 7 notes ending on 4, THEN started the 7 noted pattern on beat 5 (ending in the next bar on beat 3; restarting on beat 4, etc, etc...), that would be a poly rhythm between those two elements. I know, clear as mud, right?

    Keep experimenting!

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    Quote Originally Posted by SladeGT40 View Post
    its usually called a polyrhythm or hemiola where there are two patterns that are played within a set time frame using different subdivisions of the quarternote. yours for instance would be 5 against 7. most commons are 3 against 2 and 4 against 3. if you are playing quarternotes on one hand and triplets on the other in the same tempo you start and end the same but are playing 4 against 3.


    hope that makes sense
    If I understand though, the 7 notes are 1/8th notes (tied to an additional 1/8 note) with a quarter rest (5/4 meter) under 5 1/4 notes on the cymbal, also in 5/4.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    thanks for the help guys! it took me good long think to understand what u guys are talking about im sure mine wasnt easy to understand either haha. i get it now. it sounds pretty cool.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    If I understand though, the 7 notes are 1/8th notes (tied to an additional 1/8 note) with a quarter rest (5/4 meter) under 5 1/4 notes on the cymbal, also in 5/4.
    hadn't thought of it like that. i suppose if it were me, i'd call it an odd meter polyrhythm.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    by definition, isnt a polyrhythm simply more than one rhythm.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: is this considered a polyrhythm? what is this?

    Quote Originally Posted by chafey View Post
    by definition, isnt a polyrhythm simply more than one rhythm.
    In musical terminology, it is two or more contrasting rhythms played simultaneously.

    Encyclopedia Britannica definition

    The contrast aspect can't be overlooked. A two against four would be two separate rhythms, but would not be a polyrhythm. Two against three - yes. For some polyrhythms, the pattern would continue past the bar line before resolving; others (again two over three) would not as they would always line up on beat 1 or even more often.

    Again as SladeGT40 pointed out, the subdivision of the quarter note is what will give it away in most cases. If all of your notes are based on 1/8th note divisions, then you may not have a traditional polyrhythm pattern.

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