How to play 5 over 4 (for all instruments)

A clapping and counting exercise to get you familiar with playing 5 even beats over 4

[@henkdevries2002]

came here to learn the 5:4 polyrythm in "Five" by Bill Evans. This video really helped with feeling and hearing the five over a four pulse. The difficulty with the piece "Five" is that the 5:4 notes are also grouped in fours.

[@Capwnql]

Here for the same reason. Really cool RC head. :)

[@williamhenderson9923]

This is super! We need more exercises like these. Clapping and counting is important. One thing I did was clap louder on the 1's to accent that first beat. I think there's something neat about using your hands for rhythm instruments!

[@johndescy7904]

Awesome exercise!

this is great!

[@bernhardtmitdt2586]

I prefer Ta De Ki Da Tum instead of counting! It's much easier to say, especially in fast tempo. Check it out.

[@sagarsahai]

Lovely method!!!! 😀😀

[@darcyjarrell725]

Brilliant, man. Thank you for this

[@robhummel4379]

Very cool thank you!!! Practicing hard!

[@DavidDorenfeld]

This video is AMAZING. You sir just got a new like and subscriber

[@Nathanaelsun22]

That was Excellent, i was giddy smiling with utter glee that could play such a seemingly complicated seeming rhythm so quickly so intuitively! Thank you, great lesson!!

[@quincywinkler9078]

Quality lesson

[@louthibodeau2161]

That was genius. Thanks a lot!

[@Guitand1178]

Thank you very much!

[@wyc7tjmf794]

Good exercise, but I'm not sure this method will give you the exact subdivisions. If you try to clap the fives with the other hand while doing 16ths, you'll likely fail to do so.

[@flygandeskote1702]

exactly

[@apgy3063]

YES!!!! Thank you!!!

[@manfreds86]

Excelent! Thanks a lot!

[@MishimaToshiro]

wow great!! thank you

[@the_musician5373]

thank you !!!

[@floydmillar2875]

really like this ,

[@nomnom7089]

It sounds like konnokol? Is it what u r doing?

[@blurrychaewonselca4360]

david brubeck’s take five is an amazing example of 5/4

[@bernhardtmitdt2586]

and this comment is an amazing example of not having understood 5 over 4 :-)

[@blurrychaewonselca4360]

@@bernhardtmitdt2586 I DID NOT WRITE THIS COMMENT. I DO NOT REMEMBER THIS.

[@bernhardtmitdt2586]

@@blurrychaewonselca4360 so delete it, if it's not yours 😉

[@bernhardtmitdt2586]

@@blurrychaewonselca4360 "I did not" and "I do not remeber" are two completely different statements 😜

[@blurrychaewonselca4360]

@@bernhardtmitdt2586 it’s not that serious

[@Big_betty2]

I don’t think this is for ALL instruments

[@marcelszekowski315]

eh

[@corradomanganaro7150]

No no mi dispiace ma non è così

[@shadowstormmusic2572]

Anyone else here wanting to play a Tool song lol

[@AdrianJanecek]

very helpful, thank you!

[@AlexTen10]

Brilliant guide, thanx a ton, Connor!

[@emilieboyd1002]

An amazing method to really feel it! Thank you!

[@lucapietranera]

wow! haha thank you very much.

[@LisztyLiszt]

This is great. I'm playing a piano piece which has a moment of 5:4 so I tried tapping both hands on the table. RH:LH = 5:1 and then 5:2 was fine, 5:4 not yet, but I'll get it. The other thing though is to be able to switch to this polyrhythm first time, accurately and without hesitation. You can't suddenly stop mid-performance for a warm-up to embed the groove before executing a given passage. So lots of practise clapping and on the instrument should make it feel as natural as suddenly playing 3:2 or 4:3.