Polyrhythms Part 1 Lesson

Polyrhythms Part 1

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  • Hi GMC! In this lesson we will learn to play some polyrhythms. Basically 4 against 3, 4 against 5 and 2 against 3 (that's the same as 4 against 6).

    As reference I took the book by Peter Magadini named “Polyrhythms”. This kind of rhythmic operation is important to create independence when you have to listen to more than one line simultaneously and of course when you have to play one. For drummers this is like a basic training because they're always playing with this kind of stuff. I made this lesson and some others in order to incorporate this to our guitar world like Ron Thal says in a clinic he made in France, polyrhythms are important to separate your brain and think independent rhythms happening together.

    We will have to think not only in the result of the complex rhythm but also in each part of the polyrhythm so we are sure that we are assimilating really well the exercise.

    Polyrhythms are not only good to elaborate an intelectual skill but also you can find them (as Peter Magadini says in his book) in some ethnic music from Africa and in contemporary composition like in the work of Brian Ferneyhough.

    Also you can find this resources in progressive music, bands like Planet X, or in jazz sometimes the drummers play a huge amount of rhythms at the same time.

    As I need two voices to create a polyrhythm I thought that was a good idea to play these lessons with tapping technique and exercise that technique too.

    Let's get nuts with rhythm :)

    I hope you enjoy the lesson!

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