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Thread: The Polyrhythm

  1. #1

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    Default The Polyrhythm

    Not sure if I spelled it right or really if I know what it is, but appearently it's one of my strongest drumming uhhhh... strengths lol (according to my school music teacher)
    Anyone use it?

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  2. #2

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    That's good the hear 32. The polyrhythm is a difficult concept to master and involves a lot of independence between limbs usually.

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    Rudiments?

  3. #3

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    Nah don't listen to him. It's easy.

    start by playing this

    R x-o-x-o-x-o-
    (quarter note triplet) (the o's are the eighth note triplets and are just to help line up beats not to be played)
    L x-----x----- (eighth notes)

    I mastered that particular pattern a while ago (In like five minutes) and it is great for soloing with your ride doing eighths and doing the triplets on the drums.
    Last edited by Daemon; 05-30-2007 at 09:57 PM.
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  4. #4

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    Polyrhythms are actually quite complicated once you step outside the first easy few. But like anything, the more time you spend with them, the easier they get.

    Try subdvisions of 5's, 7's, and 9's. You'll be challenged greatly.

  5. #5

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    independant limbs i find easy. Its a matter of letting everything do its own thing... I know alot of people that cant do it because everything has to work together.
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  6. #6

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    has anyone got any links to polyrhythm lessons. i have seen a couple of examples on you tube but nothing that explains it well.

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  8. #8

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    thanks for that. theory looks extremely complicated. Hopefully I can find drummers giving examples to see what its like in practice. sounds like alot of co-ordination. So, if I play triplets on the snare for example, and sixteenth notes on the double bass...is that polyrhthmic?

  9. #9

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    From what i saw of those webpages yes.

    It does look hard :S
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  10. #10

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    Look at all the definitions of a polyrhythm

    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...%3A+polyrhythm

    Livewire... yes, 16ths while playing triplets is an example of a polyrhythm. The hard part is, they have to both resolve somehow. In other words, you need to mathematically resolve how they will fit together in a measure or a number of measures.

    This is complicated stuff and only recommended for advanced players. Get the fundamentals down "SOLID" before delving into polyrhythms.

  11. #11

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    ok, yes I have tried playing that combination before to try and develop coordination although have never really got it comfortable.

    there is that word "fundamentals" again. Drummer, when you say get the fundamentals down solid, what do you exactly mean by fundamentals? Does it mean get the beats solid and improve on technique etc?

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by livewire80
    ok, yes I have tried playing that combination before to try and develop coordination although have never really got it comfortable.

    there is that word "fundamentals" again. Drummer, when you say get the fundamentals down solid, what do you exactly mean by fundamentals? Does it mean get the beats solid and improve on technique etc?
    Yes. Fundamentals means, "being or involving basic facts or principles". We don't start in school with calculus. We start with basic arithmatic. This is the fundamental of math. We then have a solid base or springboard to propel us and help us understand advanced math, or in this case, very advanced rhythms.

    There are two parts to approaching polyrhythms; the mathmatical element and the physical element. Mathmatically, it can be easy to figure out if you're relatively good at math and/or reading rhythmic notation. Physically, it can be a bear... and this is where it's especially important to have the fundamentals of playing down first.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daemon
    Nah don't listen to him. It's easy.

    start by playing this

    R x-o-x-o-x-o-
    (quarter note triplet) (the o's are the eighth note triplets and are just to help line up beats not to be played)
    L x-----x----- (eighth notes)

    I mastered that particular pattern a while ago (In like five minutes) and it is great for soloing with your ride doing eighths and doing the triplets on the drums.

    try taking that and switching the sticking around!
    Play the triplets with your right hand while playing the quarter notes on your left and then switch back and forth, you get an interesting sound!
    Hope it helps!
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  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer
    Yes. Fundamentals means, "being or involving basic facts or principles". We don't start in school with calculus. We start with basic arithmatic. This is the fundamental of math. We then have a solid base or springboard to propel us and help us understand advanced math, or in this case, very advanced rhythms.

    There are two parts to approaching polyrhythms; the mathmatical element and the physical element. Mathmatically, it can be easy to figure out if you're relatively good at math and/or reading rhythmic notation. Physically, it can be a bear... and this is where it's especially important to have the fundamentals of playing down first.
    I cant stand maths....my worst subject LOL! thanks Drummer, this helps alot. I think I will come back to polyrhythms another day. I might even stumble accross it (physically) when playing in the future and wont even know Im doing it!


  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by livewire80
    I cant stand maths....my worst subject LOL! thanks Drummer, this helps alot. I think I will come back to polyrhythms another day. I might even stumble accross it (physically) when playing in the future and wont even know Im doing it!

    yeah man, I do that quite a bit i find, you learn something that you didn't want to specificly learn. same with rudiments, learn basic 7 rudiments, and the other 40 will come with little trouble.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by livewire80
    I cant stand maths....my worst subject LOL! thanks Drummer, this helps alot. I think I will come back to polyrhythms another day. I might even stumble accross it (physically) when playing in the future and wont even know Im doing it!

    It's ok. You may be surprised to learn that very few drummers know polyrhythms, even famous drummers. There's just not much of a need for it in most of the music we play. Most drummers do it for the challenge or to have the ability to know it in case they're ever called upon to play it. Ask Terry Bozzio or Vinnie Colaiuta about their audition with Frank Zappa. Case in point.

  17. #17

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    its really hard to have 2 or more arms going different speeds..if thats what polyrythm is

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