RKOUTS CHAPTER IV I POLYRHYTHMs

This chapter is all about the polyrhythms in their very basic form. The main purpose is to get
access to the world of polyrhythms and gain the ability of playing and hearing them from different
perspectivas. The following pages introduce you to methods and systems to achieve this. These
exercises should enable your mind, ears and body to become accustomed to the time, feel and
different faces of polyrhythms.

WHAT IS A POLYRHYTHM?
A polyrhythm consists of a layer of two ar more different rhythms, which will be played at the same
time. The coordination of playing both at the same time is the most challenging part of learning
polyrhythms. You can find these rhythms in genres like jazz, fusion and metal, classics, ar in the
music of Africa, Afro Cuba, and India.
Usually those rhythms are laid down on multiple instruments, depending on the music style.
They interact which each other beautifully.
In this chapter, 1break down howto get used to polyrhythms and howto hearthose rhythms
differently. The following exercises show how you can hear and understand polyrhythms
from three perspectives:
1. RIGHT HAND PERSPECTIVE I RHYTHMICAL MELODY
2. LEFT HAND PERSPECTIVE I RHYTHMICAL MELODY
3. 80TH HANDS PERSPECTIVE I RHYTHMS UNITED
Another way to understand the concept of polyrhythms, is to hear those in these instances:
1. GROUPING USING A SUBDIVISION
2. GROUPING AGAINST PULSE
A polyrhythm implies two (or more) kinds of pulses simultaneously:
1. ACCENTS OF A GROUPING OVERA SUBDIVISION =PULSEA
2. REGULAR QUARTER-NOTE PULSE OF RHYTHMS B= PULSE B
To count along PULSE A and feel the regular quarter-note pulse is one of the main exercises. Also
counting along PULSE B and feeling the difference between melody and feel is the main purpose
of this section. This will help train your ears and mind far both rhythms such as changing the feel
by moving forwards and backwards between them. Being able to feel and play a polyrhythm in
both directions is the foundation of working on metric modulations (impression of shifting to a new
tempo on top of the original one based on a specific pulse).

266
 A __,
PAD BOOK
WTO W0RK WITH THE POLYRHYTHMS FUNDAMENJÁL WORKOUTS
~ / ANIKA NILLEs

,___.... . -,.ORK WIJH THE p JHMS

AII of the next pages and exercises are strructured i~n~th~~i;~:-;-;=;~; 1 ; ; ; ~ ~ ··:==:::...e==--~

5
z8gainst 3 polyrhythm. Keep working with all the oth e ª1mhe way. Here, vo_u see an example of a 1
r -·----·-- er po yr ythms as explamed here. :

[1.] _POLYRHffHM BASIC FORM

Here is a polyrhythm in its basic form. Each polyrhythm can be e ·d d f

onsI ere rom two angles
For example: •

2 against 3 ◄ ►
3 against 2 (opposite angle)

AII following exercises are simply about breaking this rhythm down to understand it better.

[2.] ,____... . . ..,._,,._ ..:,,,.:..;~; CH

PRACTICE SYSTEM - X
How to work with this segment:
~~:;:::::::::::::::..3~---=

2 against 3

ULSE
cce

e:> Use a metronome with a quarter-note pulse in the time signatura of the exercise.

STEP 1: Play all 8th-note triplets with a single-stroke sticking. Make sure all accents are clear.
STEP 2: Play only the aecent notes (PULSE A) of the 8th-note triplets with your left hand.
STEP 3: Continue playing as in STEP 2 and start playing additionally with your right hand along the
metronome (PULSE B).

PRACTICE SYSTEM - Y
View from the opposite angle:

----
¡\

PULSE A
= Accents

e:> Use a metronome with a quarter-note pulse in the time signatura of the exercise.

STEP 1: Play all 8th notes with a single-stroke sticking. Make sure all accents are clear.
STEP 2: Play only the 8th-note accents (PULSE A) with your right hand.
STEP 3: Continua playing as in STEP 2 and start playing PULSE B additionally with your left hand.

267
 CHAPTER IV I POLYRHYTHMs

.-------------------
(3.) SWITCHING F_EE_L-~~~-~ ~-~----- --------- -------
• • 1 rhythm in its opposite perspective
These exercises will help you to switch the feel and hear the ongma 1 po Y . . h •
B h·1 you contmue p1aymg on t e same
I
You can do this mainly through counting along Pulse A or Pulse , w e
polyrhythm. In this section, you see two rhythms.
Far example:
A
3
3
~
A

~ ~ 1

~ ffl
2 against 3 11= i 1

A
A
and /\
~
~ 1 ~ 1

ffl
1
1
3 against 2 11=

Both rhythms sound identical in the first place. But through counting Pulse A or 8, one rhythm seems to be slower,
the other one seems to be faster. Practice in these steps:

PRACTICE SYSTEM - Z
MAIN RHYTHM

e:> Use a metronome with a quarter-note pulse in the time signatura of the exercise.

STEP 1: Count and play PULSE B (marked as Ü) with your RH, play PULSE A (marked as (§))
with your LH.
STEP 2: Continua playing but now count PULSE A instead of PULSE B.
STEP 3: SWITCH COUNTING: Continua playing PULSE A and B. Start counting PULSE A for sorne bars,
then switch for counting PULSE B. Repeat this switch far a while.

COUNTERRHYTHM

e:> Use a metronome with a quarter-note pulse in the time signatura of the exercise.

STEP 1: Count and play PULSE A (marked as Ü) with your RH, play PULSE B (marked as ®)
with your LH.
STEP 2: Continua playing but now count PULSE 8 instead of PULSE A.
STEP 3: SWITCH COUNTING: Continua playing PULSE A and B. Start counting PULSE A far sorne bars,
then switch far counting PULSE B. Repeat this switch far a while.

268
 FUN •

§HY111 M BASIC FORM 1

J
: ll=i~ r r =11
3

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th notes and 8th-note triplets.

GROUPS OF 3 OVER 8TH NOTES

A A A

e!> USE PMCTICE SYSTEM - Y 1~1:¡~=:;J;:::::~--=~__,1---1----_-_ J

1 -_-_----::a+--...--_- _ 1
-+-+
=11

GROUPS OF 2 OVER BTH-NOTE TRIPLETS

A 3 A 3
~ I ==--~:í=J====::::t=l~==~---t::j::J~_::-==~-+----_- - n-:tl=I
IC]IIzoc::Jt:::_==_-=:::t::
....
Li-v' USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - x: ~ ::

MAIN RHYTHM 2 against 3

i) ®
A 3
3
A

J ~ 1 J 1
=11
11: i
1
[A]

G) (?) ®
COUNTERRHYTHM 3 against 2
- -

G) CD
,\
1
A

l
e
i-
3 =1
[B]
I: 1 J 1 i

G) + ® + ~ +

269
 PAD IGoK I POLYRHYTHMs
FUNDAMENTA~ WORKOUTS CHAPTEA IV
ANIKANIL1ES

r2 AGAINST 5
POLVRHYTHM BASIC FORM
J
r 5
r r

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th notes and 16th-note quintuplets.

GROUPS OF 5 OVER 8TH NOTES

GROUPS OF 2 OVER 16TH-NOTE QUINTUPLETS

A 5 A 5

~ USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - X ¡¡:::11=¡:o::::iJ~3 ~~JE~E~Ji====il~~;~~~I~f;~~===;Jl:11

MAINRHVTHM 2 against 5

0 A 5
®A 5
~
-,_ 1 J 1 ~ 1 ~ 1 ~ 1
[A] 11= 1 =11

CD ® ® © ®
COUNTERRHYTHM 5 against 2

CD
A
®
A

~ 1 ~ 1 ~ 1 ~ l ~
[B] ll=í
1
=I
CD + ® + ® + © + ® +
-

270
 FUNDA PfANIKA ~~UlS
woR

pOLYRHVTHM BASIC FORM

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th notes and l Bth -note septuplets. -
___
GROUPS OF 7 OVER 8TH NOTES
A

Q USE PRACTICE SYSTEM-Y ¡ A A A ri A A n 11=

=B

GROUPS OF 2 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEPTUPLETS

A '1 A '1

Q USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - X 11= i ~ ~ 1

~ ~ 1
~ ~ ~ ~
=11

MAIN RHYTHM 2 against 7

CD
A '1
..
®
A '1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1~
1 1 1
1 1
1 1
=11
[AJ 11=

© ® ® (j)
CD 0 ®
-
-COUNTERRHYTHM 7 against 2

CD ®
A F r
A

~
r
3 e 1 i 1
=I
[B] ffil J 1
~ 1 ~ 1
1 i

@ + @ +
G) + ® + ® + @ + ® +

271
'P1~0K
FUNDAMENT~KOUTS I POLYRHYTHMS
ANIKANILLES
a• ' '
:'. !I,.
CHAPTER IV
-
'ttt:

POlYRHYTHM BASIC FORM

1
3
J
1

J :ff
: 11=1 F
___
r r r
i --,; '

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th-note triplets and 16th notes.

GROUPS OF 4 OVER BTH-NOTE TRIPLETS

¡\ 3 ¡\ 3 3 A 3

~ USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - Y 11=! J 1 1

J 1 1 J 1 1 J 1 1

=i

GROUPS OF 3 OVER 16TH NOTES

¡\ A A

~ ~ ~
~ 11= 2 J
1 1 1
USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - X 1 1 1 1 1

=11

MAIN RHYTHM 3 against 4

~,"'
- ~r·~

A
'>
® ¡\
®
A

[A]
11= 1~ 1 1
~ 1 1
~ 1 1 ~ 1 1
=11

G) ® ® ©
COUNTERRHYTHM 4 against 3

G) ® ®
¡\ 3 ¡\ 3 3 ¡\
3
[B] 11= ! J 1 1
J 1 1
J 1 l ~ 1 1

=11

CD ® ® ©
272
 3,AGAINST 5

3AGAINSU!.T:~5 ,.;...:.;.....;...,;_....:.¡,.--------~......-.;._~o.!-_k....~~~===-----

YTHM BASIC FORM

pOLYRH
r-------- --3
R .... ! - 1---1
....... ¡-
L
■ I• -

■I -
-
-

1
1

1
1 -
....
•11
•fl

5 1

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th-note triplets and 16th-note quintuplets.

GROUPS OF 5 OVER BTH-NOTE TRIPLETS

A 3 3 A 3 A3 3
~ !LSEPRACTICESYSTEM-Y 11=1 J j j J j I J 1 1 J 17 J I l :1
GROUPS OF 3 OVER 16TH-NOTES QUINTUPLETS
A 5 A 5
---- ---- A 5
~ USEPRACTICESYSTEM-X 11=1 J I I; I I; I I; 1 1 J
=11

,. ., .·.

MAIN RHYTHM 3 against 5

@ ® ®
A 5

uJ
A 5 A 5
[AJ 1 1
~ 1 1
~ 1 1
~ 1 1
~ 1 1

=11

G) ® G) © ®
¡-...__

COUNTERRHVTHM
r--_
5 against 3

G) ® ®
A 3 A3 3
3
~
3 A F
7
1B] 1 ~ ~ 1 1
~ 1 1 ~ 1 1 i.. 1
=I

G) ® ® © ® -

273
 '
PAD Bl>.OK
FUNDAMENTAb WORKOUTS
ANIKl NILLES •
CHAPTER IV I POLYRHYTHMS

:;¿ ,. ( ¡s f

POLYRHYTHM BASIC FORM

R lli~=il========iE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:
L

GROUPIN·G APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 8th-note triplets and 16th-note septuplets.

GROUPS OF 7 OVER BTH-NOTE TRIPLETS

A 3 3 A3 3 3 A 3 3

e> USE PRACTICE SYSTEM - y 11: ¡J J J J J J J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 :11

GROUPS OF 3 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEPTUPLETS

A 7 A 7 A 7

e> USEPRACTICESYSTEM-X 11:! J 1 1 ~ 1 1 ~ 1 j j j j j j

------
1~ 1S

MAIN RHYTHM 3 against 7

® A
'

7
©
A 7
®
A 7

[A] 11=2 J ~ ~ 1 ~ 1 1
~ 1
~ 1 ~ =11

G) 0 ® © ® ® (j)
COUNTERRHYTHM 7 against 3

G) 0 ®
A 3 3 A3 3 3 A 3 3

[B] 11= 1J 1 1 J 1 J 1 J 1 1
J 1 1 J 1 1
J 1

=I
(D ® ® © ® @ (i)

274
 PAD BOOK
FUNDA~ WORKOUTS
4AGAINS_:_::T5:.------------------- LL:'.:........:.._AN ..:.:..::lll~N=•11= 1ES
~

r : e f

PoLVRHVTHM BASIC FORM

J J J
r r
5
r r =11

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 16th notes and 16th-note quintuplets.

GROUPS OF 5 OVER 16TH NOTES

A A A A

~ USE PRACTICE SYSTEM _ y 11: iJ 1 1 1 J1 1 i J1 1 i J I i i J i I i =11

GROUPS OF 4 OVER 16TH-NOTE QUINTUPLETS

A 5 A 5 A 5 A 5

~ USE PRACTICE SYSTEM _ X 11: 1 J 1 1 1 J I i I J 1 1 1~

----
----
1 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 :11

MAINRHYTHM 4 against 5

~
A 5
® A 5
® A 5
©A 5

[A] 11:! J 1 1 ~ 1 1 ~ 1 1 ~ 1 ~ 1

=11

CD ® ® © ®
COUNTERRHYTHM 5 against 4

CD
A
®A
® A
© A

[B]
11= 1J 1 J 1 1 J 1 1 1 J 1 J :\1
CD ® ® © ®
275
 ~OK -- -
FUNDAMENT~b WORKOUTS CHAPTER IV I POLYRHYTHMs
ANIIANlllES

[4 A~INST '1.

.POLYRHYTHM BASIC FORM

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 16th notes and 16th-note septuplets.

GROUPS OF 7 OVER 16TH NOTES

A A A

~ USE PRACTICE SYSTEM _ v 11= ¡J 1 1 1J 1 1 1J 1 1 1J 1 1 1J 1 1 1J 1 1 1 J 1 1l =I

GROUPS OF 4 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEPTUPLETS

A 7 A 7 A 7 A 7
------
~ USEPRACTICESYSTEM-X 11=1 J 1 1 l;J 1 1 l;J 1 1 l;J 1 1 l;J 1 1 lj 1 1 l;J 1 1 1=11

MAIN RHYTHM 4 against 7

A 7
® A 7
®A 7
©A 7
------ ------
1J 1; 1 1J 1 =r--1-r-J-t-1----t==FI=t---;-+=I=1~;~1~1--.-.=II
[A) 11=1 J 1

G) CD ® © ® ® 0
COUNTERRHYTHM 7 against 4

G)
A
CDA
®A
A

[B] 11= iJ 1 1 J 1 1 J 1 J 1
1
;
;
1
1 1J 1 1 J--- 1 1 =I

CD (!y @ @ ®
276
 p~~-
~~7_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ FUNDAMENJA[ WDRKDUTSl
_ _ _ _ _ _-"../~~AN~IIA~N~ll1ES~1

pOLYRHVTHM BASIC FORM

6
J J J J
r r r
1
r r r =11

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 16th-note quintuplets and 16th-

note septuplets.
GROUPS OF 7 OVER 16TH-NOTE QUINTUPLETS
A Ó A Ó Ó A

~
Ó A Ó JiA Ji
~~~ ::~I CE 11= ¡J 111 IJ 1111 J 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1J 1 11 1=11
GROUPS OF 5 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEPTUPLETS
A 1 A 1 /\ 1
~ ~~~~:~ICE
A 1 /\ 1
11: Í J 1 1 1 1J i 1 1 1= 1 1 1 1= 11 11 J 11 1 1= ---
= ---
------
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1=11

. .
MAIN RHY
"'
•
THM •. 5 against 7
,

A 1 A '1 A '1
@ ®
1J 1 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 1= 1 1 1 1= 1 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1 '1
A A '1
[AJ 11=
=11

G) © ® ® (j)
COUNTERRHYTHM 7 against 5

A
G)
5
® Afj
® © 5
®
fj A

ffi ¡ J 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 I I J 1 1 1 1 J 1 1
A 5 A 5 Ó
nq
(B)
1 i J 1 1 17 J 1 1 I 1
=U
@ @ (i @ ® 8 ~
277
 - ~ -· • - . . . __. . . . . _ , . . .. . _ . _ . , . ~ . .~
. - ~ , . ,. . .
_...,.• .____ j -

~OK
FUNDAMENTAb WORKOUTS
ANIKA NlllES
CHAPTER IV I POLYRHYTHMs

[&AGAINS t ,
1
S, :::X

POLYRHYTHM BASIC FORM

GROUPING APPROACH This polyrhythm consists of 16th-note sextuplets and 16th-note septuplets.

GROUPS OF 7 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEXTUPLETS

A 6 A 6 A 6 6A 6 A 6 A 6

~ ~::T::A-~ ICE 11= ¡ J 1111 IJ 1111 IJ 1111 IJ 1111 IJ 1111 IJ 1111 IJ 11111 =11

GROUPS OF 6 OVER 16TH-NOTE SEPTUPLETS

A 1 A 1 1 A 1 A 1 A 1
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ A ------
~ ~::T~:::!I CE 11: 2J 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 I; 1 1 1 1 1:11

MAIN RHYTHM 6 against 7

© A 1
@
A 1
® A 1
© 1
® 1
®
A A A 1
[A] 11= 2J 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1; 1 1 1 1 1 =11

G) CD ® © ® ® 0
COUNTERRHYTHM 7 against 6

G)A 6
CD A 6
® A 6
©
6A
®
6 A
®
[B] 11= ¡ J 1 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1 1J 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 1 1l J 1 1 1 1 J
6
I 6
1 11 11 :fl
CD @ @ @ ® ® @

278