This is a pretty advanced inquriy, and the only way I could communicate my findings is by hammering out in pdf & finale. I think I may have found two different ways to play 9:4, but I could be WRONG !
Any input is appreciated. I have indexed the points & diagrams with letters numbers. Please title the reply as RE 9:4 or something like that, and index your answers consistent with how the inquiries were indexed.
I am stumped ! PDF ATTACHED
http://www.divshare.com/download/13587227-618
My first thought is that you're making a much bigger meal out of this than strictly necessary. There is one way to play 9 over 4. It's a mathematical relationship just like 4 over 4 (quarter notes) or 3 over 4 (Half-note triplets). I think you're looking too far into the relative positions of written notes instead of concentrating on how it should sound.
Here's a few methods that might help:
1. Use Finale to create a 9 over 4 polyrhythm using two different percussive sounds of different pitch. Xylophone works nicely, as would two wood block sounds. Listen back and imitate what you hear using two limbs. Or simply play along with the 9 side using your hands and work on *hearing* the sound of the rhythm. Each polyrhythm has a kind of little melody to it. If you use two sounds of different pitch, you can learn to remember the polyrhythm by signing the melody created by the two pitches. See if you can come up with another onomatopoeic device that helps, like a series of words that fit for you, e.g.
ve-ry-ve-ry-ve-ry-dif-fi-cult works for 9s....
2. Play Half-Note Triplets with one hand over a constant pulse, either internal, i.e. another limb, or external, i.e. a metronome playing quarter notes. Fill in the space between with the other hand to create triplets so that you're using an open drag sticking, e.g. Rll Rll Rll.
3. Play 8th notes over a quarter note pulse using alternating sticking, then see if you can slightly speed up your hands so that your hands alternate landing on the down beat (as they will with all odd-note groupings). Keep aiming at getting that opposite hand to land on 1 each time and then adjust your notes in between so they're even.
The trick with polyrhythms isn't to tie your head in knots thinking about theory or trying to notate them visually.
We must learn to hear them and feel them in our hands and bodies just like we do more common divisions.