Visualizing rhythm as a wheel

I don’t get that at all. What’s the point, and how is that communicating what’s being played? Music is written linear because it’s linear, not circular. If it was circular, then it would be just one repeating figure the whole way through a song. I guess if you’re a complete newb, it could be useful as a demonstration of a repeating motif, but it’s only useful for so long, and then what?

Sometimes these Ted folks think a little too hard ;)
 
If it was circular, then it would be just one repeating figure the whole way through a song.
Drums on "More Than a Woman" are a loop. No change at all. That could be considered circular.

I think about music in layers. Each layer has a sound or pattern, and they are turned on or off depending on where they are in the song. It's a very grid based approach, more in tune with sequencing than just a flowing line of sound.
 
Drums on "More Than a Woman" are a loop. No change at all. That could be considered circular.

I think about music in layers. Each layer has a sound or pattern, and they are turned on or off depending on where they are in the song. It's a very grid based approach, more in tune with sequencing than just a flowing line of sound.
Well there are other instruments besides drums, and not every song is More Than A Woman ;)
 
There's 5 circles going at once at a time thru out that video Jim. There is overlaying circles. with multiple "events" happening all in the same clock circle.. How you ask? They (polyrhythms) different rhythms occur within the same circle (as in Real life whether written linearly or shown with in a circle And you never heard a repetitious bass line? you must be playing a different instrument
 
Last edited:
Well there are other instruments besides drums, and not every song is More Than A Woman ;)
I get that, but that's why there are layers. Drums are one layer. Bass is one layer. So on and so forth. You can have more than one layer per instrument also. Each individual layer is a loop. Just turn them on or off as needed.

3:2 polyrhythm. Pick a color and assign a hand:


It's not a big deal, just another way to look at things. It might make more sense to drummers because we deal with multiple limbs at once.
 
There's 5 circles going at once at a time thru out that video Jim. There is overlaying circles. with multiple "events" happening all in the same clock circle.. How you ask? They (polyrhythms) different rhythms occur within the same circle (as in Real life whether written linearly or shown with in a circle And you never heard a repetitious bass line? you must be playing a different instrument
Not every song is repetitive on bass. And how could the circle tell you what notes to play even when you’re playing a repetitive line?

I get that, but that's why there are layers. Drums are one layer. Bass is one layer. So on and so forth. You can have more than one layer per instrument also. Each individual layer is a loop. Just turn them on or off as needed.

3:2 polyrhythm. Pick a color and assign a hand:


It's not a big deal, just another way to look at things. It might make more sense to drummers because we deal with multiple limbs at once.
Maybe so. I just find notation a much better way to do it, and it doesn’t require animation to understand it ;)
 
It's all animation in the matrix
 
And how could the circle tell you what notes to play even when you’re playing a repetitive line?
it's rhythm not melodic these are rhythm circle not melodic notes ,
It's in the title "a different way to visualize rhythm"
it's recurring to the top like the hands of a clock
 
Maybe so. I just find notation a much better way to do it, and it doesn’t require animation to understand it ;)
That's because you are use to it. I can read a drum sequence way faster than a chart because that's what I'm used to.

It's cool because none of it is right. It's just another way to communicate an idea.
 
it is an interesting system....

but why not just count? I feel like all of these systems pop up when people don't want to just learn rhythmic theory. I talk to so many people who have made science projects out of something that could just simply be figured out by counting subdivision guided by a pulse...

it seems like a lot more work to me
 
it's a visualization
possibly for the mind's eye an alternate
not to take over sheet music
music is circular "take it from the top" is certainly heard
you have 'repeat' signs , del Signo/ whatever/ signs, repeats

great. now my head hurts.
 
Last edited:
Am I supposed to visualize it while playing? If so, it's not for me.

I'm trying to do away with conscious thought while playing and simply feel and respond...or not.

That's what works for me. Conscious thought while playing...for me?...bad.
 
What’s the point,

Well, it's easy to make a kool animation of it to market your media company as "the creativity people."

re: the bit about "tyranny of the barline", I guess it's only tyrannical if we don't teach people otherwise. To me a closed looping circle is tyrranical. I guess we're dealing with people who are just doing music on their laptops, or something-- like if somebody lives their whole musical life in a 16 chamber grid, yes, it will seem "tyrannical."

1674227193214.png


Their big discovery that rhythms become other rhythms if you invert them (as a musician would say), or "rotate wheels" (as they say), is not a big discovery. They just made a graphical representation of an ordinary concept, without teaching the concept-- they're pretending that their animation is the way to understand it.
 
Am I supposed to visualize it while playing?
no This is no substiture for any musician. It's a visualization wheel entertainment for civilians.

Altho seeing Music as circular ----certainly in the solo- chorus after chorus after chorus "solo field" ----
has merit truth in it. Music is circular in a way.

Until someone cuts (the song) it off.. (lol

Could go on forever -in a circle! LOL
repeat after repeat after repeat after..

Ya know you ever hear "Whipping Post"? : D
 
"One Time Thru!"

----1953 Lawrence Welk to the band before playing "Take A Train"..
 
Or the old band Joke
leader nervously turns around before song start and says
" If we get lost meet at the Bar"
 
Back
Top