How To Study Polyrhythms on

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

If you're frustrated with your drumming and don't know where to start... Take My free DRUM FOUNDATION QUIZ: thedrummersalmanac.com/dfc-optin-page/

[@balfit]

Next time someone asks if I teach, I tell them no (I don’t feel I have the skills), but I sure as heck tell them to subscribe if they want to learn something useful. Love your content. Clear, understandable and informative. Excellent, in one word.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Thank you sir

[@toolmainia102]

I teach drums for a living. I constantly refer my students to your lessons and content. Not only is your approach clear, concise, and informative, it’s engaging and presented in a manner that really illustrates the most vital of concepts. I’ve learned a great deal myself watching your content, and I’m eternally grateful for you and others like you. You’re serving one of the most important causes in existence, from my perspective. The cause of education. You and others like you are owed a debt of gratitude for the information, perspective, and insight you provide, free to the public. Thank you for your dedication to education and music. Thank you for your wisdom, and thank you for your dedication to the future of music.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

That's amazing... This comment made my heart sing. Thank you so much... you are so appreciated. ...and stay in touch. My app is designed to work with private drum teachers as a supplement, not a replacement. Nothing replaces a great one-on-one drum teacher. But in the new year I plan on opnening up an affliate program for other drum teachers. You can refer your students to the app, contribute content to it, and earn commision on each student that signs up. Reach out to me if you want to get involved at thedrummersalmanac.com/contact/

[@brentos5001]

Fantastic lesson. Im not even a drummer, but Meshuggah and Tesseract melt my brain (in a great way) so here we are!

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

lol... I love it. Thanks for being here

[@BlackDogYogaStudio]

As always, so clear in your explanation of complex things. Thanks, Jay, for being such an amazing inspiration to me and my drumming for so many years. Lifetime member!

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Thanks Pete! I appreciate you, my brotha.

[@pickinstone]

I commented on your PART II, hopefully I wasn't too convoluted. What I am really curious about isn't "playing polyrhythm in isolation so I can show off my 7:4." I am interested in what Mike Longo (and the West African Drum Tradition) have taught--that polyrhythm should be thought of as it relates to building the feel. Just like you subdivide down to the 16th note, even if you are just playing a quarter note groove--that you should constantly subdivide down to the 3:4, 3:2 or 5:4 as you play that quarter note groove. Mike Longo teaches these polyrhythms as becoming a part of the body--a subdivision that also informs the pulse. I think that's more interesting than polyrhythm as a "spotlight event where the musician can show off." Just a thought. That's the mystery behind the swing feel of Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Bobby Timmons, and Cannonball Adderley--notice that none of those musicians are drummers, in the strict definition (every great musician knew how to be "their own drummer). See my point on your PART II.

[@gilbertlopez2333]

Amazing. I have so much trouble reading jazz charts because I learned how to read snare music. Or any drum music. But I learned how to read figures like flashcards because my teacher said “you can kinda learn this like flashcards because everything you read is a combination of all these figures.” So I did that and inevitably it meant whenever I played a jazz gig I would miss a few figures here or there, or not play a major figure…. Lost a few gigs like that and then I just stopped playing jazz. So much work down the toilet. I always wished and still do to fix this reading atrophy I’ve allowed. I always tell myself that I just need to relearn how to read and plug the holes. I hope to do so in my lifetime but the fact that I let it happen at all is so demoralizing. This channel and you make me feel better! Thank you for all your advice

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

The past does not equal the future... You just need to start. You'll be amazed at how fast it comes when you just go all in. When you are reading music, there are two approaches. 'Literal reading' like snare music and 'interpretive reading'... like a Jazz chart. With literal reading, everything is there for you. All of the rhythms, accents, Sticking, dynamics etc... There's not a ton of room for interpretation. With Interpretive reading, the chart is a guideline. It is up to the musician to fill in the blanks around the framework of what's written. Both have their strengths and weaknesses... and both should be studied.

[@peace4531]

I liked the definition of rhythm but what should I say if one asks me to differentiate between melody and rhythm?

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Melodies are strings of rhythm, accents and tonal patterns

[@peace4531]

@@Thedrummersalmanac okay

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

@@peace4531 More specifically on drums... we use accents, and multiple sound sources (orchestration) on the drum set to create melody over the rhythm...

[@elikebudi]

I’ve been expecting this video for a long time 🙌🏻 Damn, I took a screenshot of that formula! Never thought about it that way👍🏻🙏🏻

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

I've been wanting to do it for a while... Just starting to dip my toes back into these longer lessons. They tend to not do as well. But you all show me that you want them, I'll keep doig them.

[@elikebudi]

@@Thedrummersalmanac You deserve so much more views and subscribers. Sometimes I can’t understand the internet. 🥁🥁

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

@@elikebudi I appreciate that. and I'm working on it. The KZbin algo is not the easiest beast to tame. But you watching and interacting with the videos is a huge help. So thank you.

[@Heatherhigleydrums]

Pass the bread and butter for 4:3 and 'cold cup of tea' for 3:2 was really what made it possible for me to snap into those particular polyrhythms and also between the two... do you know any more little phrase mnemonics for other practical polyrhythms ?

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Sure mnemonics are great. I just did a video if you go back on my channel a few shorts ago… for 5:7 “Pass the salt and pepper the feels is tasteless” 5:4… I like “I’m looking for a house to buy” 5:3 “I like to sing but I can’t”

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Polyrhythm Mnemonics on #drums

[@Professional.Bro.777]

You are an exceptional teacher

[@gsdota]

Love it!

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Thanks!!

[@AtomizedSound]

Good lesson and I agree things should always be simplified in explaining. I believe you said this in one video. If a 5 year old can’t understand the concept then you are going about it the wrong way.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Yes, exactly... Simple, dumb, and clear are useful... complicated, smart,, and convoluted are not.

[@Hesdrummingagainagain-oj6ei]

Great video.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@einarabelc5]

For such a good drummer, man that definition of rhythm was fuzzy. The rhythm is how you partition a segment of time into an identifiable pattern of repetition.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

My definition was fuzzy? Let’s compare: your definition… “Rhythm is how you partition a segment of time into an identifiable pattern of repetition…” my definition: “Rhythm is notes” … from a ‘fuzziness’ standpoint, which definition do you think a five-year-old could understand?

[@Drumsticks123]

Great lesson!❤

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

Thank you my friend. This is also gonna go into rhythm in the app... and I am focused on adding to that course, first.

[@tresvecesno7071]

Powerful! Thanks!

[@AldeanLeger]

You're giving a two-dimensional explanation for a three-dimensional problem

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

How so?

[@AldeanLeger]

@@Thedrummersalmanac Note is short for notation. It's the chicken scratch we use to recall our musical ideas. A note in your context is a musical event consisting of 1. Frequency (or pitch) 2. Amplitude (or volume) 3. Duration

[@AldeanLeger]

@@toolmainia102 I love the content on this channel. A note is a written symbol. A musical event is a combination of Frequency, amplitude, and duration. A three-dimensional structure. Like the XYZ axis we studied in 8th grade geometry.

[@Thedrummersalmanac]

@@AldeanLeger and your comment is exactly my point in this video… Think of it like this… if I am teaching drums to a 5-year old… and I said: “A rhythm is a musical event consisting of frequency, amplitude, and duration.” Do you think they would have the first clue what I was talking about? This is my challenge with this type of terminology. Though technically accurate, you are sacrificing clarity in favor of sounding smart… …and whether the student is 5 or 50, simple, and clear is usable. Convoluted and complicated is not. Many musicians can tell you the “book” definitions, but few are actually clear on what they mean and how to use them.

[@AldeanLeger]

@@Thedrummersalmanac For a 5 year old rhythm is the beat. Notes are do re mi la la la

[@jimmorrison5604]

Damn on a diet and just ordered a pizza for delivery. 😂 gonna cut the carbs.