polys

[FullMoon]

ok can someone explain them and give me an example

[CARMEN77]

My teacher taught me a 3 over 2, which is one of the easier poly's.

Goes like this:

Both Right left right.

Or right on 1 2 3 and left on 1 and the and of 2.

[Byron]

a polyrhythm is when you play two different rhythms on different hands/feet, or one rhythm against that of the band and/or bass player

for example if you play 2 notes on your bass drum while in the same amount of time play 3 notes on your snare, that would be a polyrhythm, this can work with any two, preferably contrasting, number of note per hand and foot

in musical terms, if you play half notes on your foot and quarter note triplets (every other triplet) on your hand, at the same time then that will create a polyrhythm called a 3:2 polyrhythm, you can replace either of those numbers with any two numbers and it will give you a new polyrhythm with new note values

[moogoogaipan]

polyrhythm is just what it breaks down into.

poly - more than one
rhythm - rhythm

3:2, 5:2, 4:3, 15:8,... etc. Different subdivisions of time played in the same amount of space.

often creates a multi-temporal feel.

[drumnbass]

polyrhythm is just what it breaks down into.

poly - more than one
rhythm - rhythm

3:2, 5:2, 4:3, 15:8,... etc. Different subdivisions of time played in the same amount of space.

often creates a multi-temporal feel.

That's pretty much it. Listen to some Meshuggah for an idea of how they sound.

[Jezen]

Remember that 4:2 doesn't really work as a poly. There are others, but can I be bothered going through them all?

Hmm.. I guess you could say that a subdivison(1) won't poly with a subdivision(2) that is the same value as subdivison(1); or if subdivision(2) is a factor of subdivision(1), or has a value of 1.

I think..

Someone please disprove this theory, as i'm tired and I think I just confused myself. I dunno, perhaps i'm on the right track.

[We_Love_Lime]

Wouldn't 4:2 have a subdevision of two?

But isn't that like playing 4 notes on your snare and two on your bass in the same amount of time.

Making it 4 Quarter Notes and 2 Half Notes?

Yeah I think your right BB...

[moogoogaipan]

who said anything about 4:2

that's just like playing 4 quarter notes in the space of 2 half notes.

[Jezen]

^^^
I did. See my post.

[Byron]

I think that any time you get something that can be simplified so taht either of the numbers is 1, then it is not a working polyrhythm

I kind of make up all my information though

[moogoogaipan]

^^^
I did. See my post.
gotcha... I'm ignorant.:chug:

[Josiah]

A polyrhtyhm is where you use the search button to enter a word, or words in place of making a new thread about the topic. For example, searching for 'polyrhythms, polys' would produce a 2:693 ratio.

[rotary alchemist]

So a poly is like when I play 6/8 with the high hats and 4/4 with snare and bass, right?
It sounds right.

[FullMoon]

i dont thinks thats a poly not from what ive heard

[FockerTheLopper]

Its any 2 rhythms played over each other. They don't have to be weird or anything. It can be 2:4 or 4:11. The basic breakdown is 2 rhythms played over each other.

[moogoogaipan]

^^^ 2:4 isn't a polyrhythm... its a time signature.

properties of polyrhythms include making something sound multitemporal. If the sudivision is the same, then it's going to sound like it's being played at the same tempo.

i.e. 3:6 isn't, 4:8 isn't, 6:12 isn't, 5:10 isn't. It's like weird ratios. They cannot be equally divided into each other.

[Futuro]

So a poly is like when I play 6/8 with the high hats and 4/4 with snare and bass, right?
It sounds right.
Teach me how to play in 2 time signatures :rolleyes:

[Josiah]

So a poly is like when I play 6/8 with the high hats and 4/4 with snare and bass, right?


What you said is a non-statment. It means nothing.


You play 6/8 on the hats? What does that mean? That's a time signature, it has no meaning as to what notes to play, how to phrase them or any such thing.

Besides that is a HORRIBLE way of thinking. Time signatures are for the entire piece of music, the entirety of the instrument. You can't play 1 time signature one 1 hand and a different on another. It's another miss statement.

You can super impose 6 over 8 in many ways. Accenting every 3rd hit ont he hats, etc there's a million things you can do with rhythm. Except play different time signatures on different limbs. It's nonsense talk.

Considering you are lacking the very basic knowledge of music and rhythmic theory (obviouslly), I'd suggest learning that stuff before you worry about more complex issues, wich require the understanding of the simpler things - hence why you are asking and your questions mean nothing.

[FockerTheLopper]

What you said is a non-statment. It means nothing.


You play 6/8 on the hats? What does that mean? That's a time signature, it has no meaning as to what notes to play, how to phrase them or any such thing.

Besides that is a HORRIBLE way of thinking. Time signatures are for the entire piece of music, the entirety of the instrument. You can't play 1 time signature one 1 hand and a different on another. It's another miss statement.

You can super impose 6 over 8 in many ways. Accenting every 3rd hit ont he hats, etc there's a million things you can do with rhythm. Except play different time signatures on different limbs. It's nonsense talk.

Considering you are lacking the very basic knowledge of music and rhythmic theory (obviouslly), I'd suggest learning that stuff before you worry about more complex issues, wich require the understanding of the simpler things - hence why you are asking and your questions mean nothing.
What he means is phrases in 6 while in 4/4 pretty much playing the same repeating 6 eighth notes(lets say all on hi hat with accent on each of the "6/8" downbeat) while playing a repeating pattern in 4. Josiah do you know the mozimbaque pattern? If you do can you post it in my thread and if you don't I remember you said something about playing greek music can you give me the breakdown of some of the basic ones like tsiftetelia, zembekika and hasaboservika. Thanks in advance.

[MatthewMeredith]

Take two numbers that are not divisible by each other, and hit one part of the drum according to one number, and another part of the drum according to the other number... Hit said parts of drum their respective numbers in the same amount of time... Voila.


Edit: Use Wikipedia

[FockerTheLopper]

Take two numbers that are not divisible by each other, and hit one part of the drum according to one number, and another part of the drum according to the other number... Hit said parts of drum their respective numbers in the same amount of time... Voila.


Edit: Use Wikipedia
They don't not have to be disivisible by each other(does that make sense?) It can be any 2 rhythms.

[Jezen]

^^^
Technically yes, but in our case no.

[FockerTheLopper]

^^^ 2:4 isn't a polyrhythm... its a time signature.

properties of polyrhythms include making something sound multitemporal. If the sudivision is the same, then it's going to sound like it's being played at the same tempo.

i.e. 3:6 isn't, 4:8 isn't, 6:12 isn't, 5:10 isn't. It's like weird ratios. They cannot be equally divided into each other.
No, 2/4 is a time signature 2:4 is a ratio, if you play a rhythm that has a 2 feel and another rhythm that has a 4 feel over each other its 2 rhythms and it makes it a polyrhythm.
2 and 4 aren't the same although they do overlap therefore it is a polyrhthm. Of course we don't consider it a polyrhythm because of its simplicity but by definition it is.

[FullMoon]

could someone tab out a example of one

[raz0r]

could someone tab out a example of one
Why don't you just search?
I'm pretty sure someone already did that in the last 24 hours.

Stop being so ****in lazy, and look around for yourself.

[LiquidTensionTheatre]

Why are there so many threads on Polyrhythms? It's really quite simple.

Poly - Many. Two or more.

Rhythm - For the sake of this discussion remaining fairly basic, we'll take "rhythm" to mean a series of equally-spaced notes.

Read: "A polyrythm consists of two or more rhythms played simultaneously neither of which is played in relation to, or depending on, the other. A polyrhythm can be anything from the simplest, such as 2 and 4, to the most rediculous, such as 2, 3, 5 and 7. They are all, technically, polyrhythms."

However, the modern interpretation is that a polyrhythm has to contain two or more rhythms which conflict when played together. In this case, you could define it this way:

"A polyrhythm consists of two or more rhythms played simultaneously, neither of which is played in relation to, or depending on, the other. The rhythms must be completed in an equal amount of time."

Another popular view is:

"Complex polyrhythms make you want to kill everyone within a fairly large radius whilst simultaneously biting off both of your own ears"

Hope that was useful and informative.

~~

[Urolagnia]

people think they will be better if they are able to say "I can play polyrythms."

[FullMoon]

Why don't you just search?
I'm pretty sure someone already did that in the last 24 hours.

Stop being so ****in lazy, and look around for yourself.


well how do i search

[Jezen]

Press the search button.

[raz0r]

well how do i search

First, you use your eyes to search for the search button.
Then you click it.

It's not exactly rocket science.

[pounder]

If you want to hear some killer polys check out the band meshuggah

[Jezen]

...Or Tool?

[drumtilidie]

...Or Tool?

mmmm Tool....





Okay, you got your floor tom and your tom tom right there...

T |o-----o-----|
F |o---o---o---|
** 1 + 2 + 3 +

other could be:

T |o--o--o--o--|
F |o---o---o---|
** 1 + 2 + 3 +

T |o----o----o----o----|
F |o---o---o---o---o---|
** 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 +

T |o------o------o------o------|
F |o---o---o---o---o---o---o---|
** 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 +



Not an overly difficult concept really.

course, this is just my definition of it, maybe someone could back me up?

[moogoogaipan]

^^^the concept isn't overly difficult. That's for sure, but actually being able to apply these things on a whim, while improvising is a whole different monster.

[some jive turkey]

^
exactly

Like a lot of stuff, you aren't just going to instantly understand it by reading or starting thread on a forum. A lot of things in music require extended study. Practice is a form of study. Reading is a form of study.

Find any book on polyrhythms, like the one by magadini, and start reading and working through it if you want to learn about polyrhythms. it's really that simple. But the trick is, YOU have to do it. The knowledge just can't be handed to you.

[drumtilidie]

^^^the concept isn't overly difficult. That's for sure, but actually being able to apply these things on a whim, while improvising is a whole different monster.

of course, lol sorry I didn't mean to say they're easy to apply, just that the idea is simple if you write it down :thumb:

[Ellx]

well how do i search

Said the man who made an advanced topic :p

[ESeeds]

Wikipedia has a pretty good article on polyrhythms, actually.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyrhythm

The big thing a lot of drummers mix up is the difference between polyrhythms and irrational rhythms. To be a polyrhythm both limbs must be playing different rhythms, such as quarter note-triplets over quarter notes:

o-o-o-o-o-o-
o--o--o--o--
1--2--3--4--

That's a polyrhythm.
However, with only one odd rhythm going, that's an irrational rhythm. such as quarter note fives:

o---o---o---o---o---
1----2----3----4----

since that's only one rhythm, it can't be a polyrhythm. If the other members of the band were playing quarter notes, the overall effect WOULD be polyrhythmic, depsite no one playing polyrhythms themselves.

[Panopticon]

this will get you goin...my teacher gave this to me...it's not necessarily a polyrhythm i don't think but it gets you working...

S|oooooooooooooooo|oooooooooooooooo|oooooooooooooo oo|
B|o---o---o---o---|o---o---o---o---|o---o---o---o---|
-|RRRLLLRRRLLLRRRL|LLRRRLLLRRRLLLRR|RLLLRRRLLLRRRLL L|

make sure to get the sticking right...

This is what my new drum teacher told me:

To be able to play this kind of thing you have to be very very comfortable with 4/4 time. If you're playing a 3 over 4 groove, you need to always know where you are in 4/4 timing or else you'll get lost. At least thats how my teacher looks at it.

I don't know why but my tab won't line up...