Polyrhythms

[drummerbobby7001]

I've been starting to get into Polyrythms lately. I've learned a few, one being the groove during the song "Eulogy" by Tool [6:35] where the hi-hat plays 16th notes, opening the hats on every third beat, then the kick and snare playing a 4/4 groove. Does anyone know any good tracks that have interesting polyrythms?

[millerdakiller]

That's not a polyrythym, thats just syncopation. A polyrythym is where you play two time signatures in the same span. Like a 7 note group where there would normally be a 4 note group. Or even triplets(3 in the space of two).

[smoney22]

That's not a polyrythym, thats just syncopation. A polyrythym is where you play two time signatures in the same span. Like a 7 note group where there would normally be a 4 note group. Or even triplets(3 in the space of two).

Polyrhythms are with different subdivisions, not meters.

[drummerbobby7001]

Well, as far as I know, that groove is a polyrhythm. And so I guess that means you're saying (millerdakiller) that the groove at 4:33 in "The Pot" is also a syncopation. Well either way, it is what it is.

Do you know any good polyrhythmic or syncopated stuff from any songs?

[millerdakiller]

Polyrhythms are with different subdivisions, not meters.

I'm not about to get into this argument again. A polyrythym is where you play a phrase from anoth meter then the one you are playing in, simultaneously, or against the feel of the meter the music is in.

Syncopation is where you accent off beats.

WHat was described above is an accent on 1, a, the and of 2, the e of 3, and then 4, at which point the pattern repeats starting on 4. Then it repeats starting on 3, then starting on 2, and finally resetting at 1. I'm not sure if this is neccesarily what's going on in Eulogy but, based on the descrpition, that's what I gathered.

I just listened to the part you were talking about in Eulogy. It's definately not a polyrythym, its just a syncopated pattern played over the barline.

[millerdakiller]

Well, as far as I know, that groove is a polyrhythm. And so I guess that means you're saying (millerdakiller) that the groove at 4:33 in "The Pot" is also a syncopation. Well either way, it is what it is.

Do you know any good polyrhythmic or syncopated stuff from any songs?

yup, more syncopation over the barline.

[drummerbobby7001]

Okay, I don't want to get into an argument either. And I'm glad you corrected me on that.

But what I was asking is do you know of any polyrhythmic stuff from songs?

[millerdakiller]

Okay, I don't want to get into an argument either. And I'm glad you corrected me on that.

But what I was asking is do you know of any polyrhythmic stuff from songs?

not off the top of my head. Good polyrythyms should be very subtle and hard to notice unless you are counting every beat of the song. try messing around with some groupings of five in the space of 4. 3 in the space of two. Stuff like that. And then come up with some cool ways to put it into drum parts. Good luck. If I think of anything polyrythmic i'll post it, but I'm not gonna make any promises

[balboa]

check out some King Crimson drumming starring yours truly Bill Bruford. I know he is using a poly in discipline, and i believe in some other tracks as well. Here is one i do, and i use the first 10-15 seconds of it for one of our original prog tunes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gnxhRofTZ0

[drummerbobby7001]

Thank you balboa, sounds good. Very Neil Peart with the 3/4 waltz pattern.

[druid]

Defining a polyrhythm can get into kind of super technical territory. Generally speaking the word polyrhythm means "many rhythm" and involves superimposing an odd grouping over an even grouping or vice versa. playing a 4:3 ( meaning 4 quarter notes in the space normally of 3) for example or 7:4 ( playing 7 quarter notes in the space of 4). However you can also get into playing odd groupings with no sounded underlying rhythm which technically could be considered simply playing odd groupings not neccesarily poly rhythms. One helpful thing to do to figure out how they "fall together" is to find the lowest common denominator of the two numbers in question:

Ex 4:3....LCD is 12...therefore it will take 12 beats to cycle back.

so you have 12 beats
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

you can play every three beats to hear the three
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
and play every 4 beats to hear the 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

playing them together will show you haw the polyrhythm "works" and sounds.

I hope this helps...you can do with exersise with any two numbers to hear the polyrhythm.