What Is NEGATIVE RHYTHM And How Can It Make You A Better Musician?

[@jdmarino]

As a bass player, knowing when to cut off a note -- which creates space -- is a related and important concept.

[@mrfakename4805]

Good point, John, I'm a tad surprised you're the only one who picked up on that . . .

[@toddmcdaniels1567]

This is the most valuable video I’ve watched in quite some time. Transformative.

[@Deadinaditchofficial]

I was the only guitarist who played “chicken pick” rhythm guitar in country and western bands in Austin Texas. (Think the palm muted, pick-a-chick-a-chick, style) and occasionally we would play with HEAVY hitters (infamous fiddle players, lap steel) who would turn and give me a big smile and nod in stage- they recognized I was filling in the gaps you are referring to here. It takes a really refined ear to appreciate, but really anyone can identify the feel you’re talking about.

[@BassamProduction]

Thanks for sharing..

[@Brakken99]

Jimi Hendrix and Brian Setzer among many others use this tactic all through their music if you listen for it. This can also be applied to bass work with amazing results. Great vid!!

[@johndemouy9855]

I was thinking about this just recently! I had noticed a number of related connections but I have assumed someone else had developed all this already. I had planned on looking for it later. But then I seeing this was serendipitous! Maybe you know of someone else or perhaps you yourself have gone deeper into these ideas already. Binary numbers An eighth note rhythm for one bar in 4-4 is an 8-bit number Binary 10110111 (your starting rhythm) is decimal 183 The negative rhythm binary 01001000 is decimal 72 Note: a rhythm plus its negative will always add up to 255, that is 11111111 binary Note also: eight beats or 8-bits has 2 to the 8th power possibilities-or 256 Negative rhythm is the NOT- of Boolean algebra But with two rhythms you get additional possibilities using AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, and a number of others The method of truth tables gives possibilities beyond those There are lots of other directions one could take with the basic concept that rhythms correspond to binary numbers but you’ve shown how the just the use of NOT (or negative rhythm) has a number of practical applications for musicians

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

I gave a Zoom talk about all that last year. (It was announced in my newsletter.) I'm working with a collaborator to make all that stuff accessible. I can't say much more at the time, but it will be unveiled asap ;-)

[@alex_felix]

as a drummer, I loved this!, I struggle so much with guitar player who don't care about rhythm, this is such a simple, yet powerful concept for guitarists and musicians in general.

[@alex_felix]

I loved the "your singer is gonna love you" HAHAHAHA so true!

[@7177YT]

Cool!❤ Your channel is such a treasure trove for composers and songwriters regardless of preferred instrument its mindblowing🎉

[@ConwayBob]

In the visual arts (e.g., drawing, painting, printmaking) we know and use the concept of negative space. This is the perfect musical analog to it, and it makes perfect sense to me.

[@1loveMusic2003]

I loved your video a while back about how music theory used to be just called music it was part of being a musician. People got lazy and said "Do I have to?"

[@garethmccash5986]

I’ve just stumbled across your channel & your way of describing theory is a breeze for everyone to understand. Thankyou for sharing your insight & knowledge.

[@Kurtis11266]

I love the infectious passion for music you spread through your videos, beautiful.

[@ussrobama5511]

Great stuff as usual. Thank You for Your Job, Tommazo.

[@MYGAS21]

As a painter I have worked allot to develop compositional theory for visual art. And I use this knowledge to understand music compositional theory. For example in color compositional theory warm colors and cold colors in general like blue and red create a strong contrast that SEPARATES. Contrast could be seen as a negative relationship by some people, and maybe it is. BUT there is a type of contrast that SEPARATES AND UNITES at the same time! And that is when we have COMPLIMENTARY elements, that together - as the word implies - create something complete, WHOLE, in this case when 2,3,4, etc complementary colored spot lights combine their light in the same place and the result is WHITE light, ( white = no longer a color but all of them ). SO my point with this example from the world of color composition is, that it would be maybe more ACCURATE to use the term COMPLIMENTARY RYTHM. I say "maybe" because I'm not sure what a non complimentary NEGATIVE rhythm is. Maybe it's when you PARTIALY fill the gaps? The same pattern played backwards? (that seems complimentary too, just in another way). Something else? Anyway ......THANK YOU for this amazing revelatory lesson and I hope I somehow helped.

[@sawekziokowski7114]

This blew me away, I didnt know I was doing it also. Thank you!

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

Your expertise is great. Thanks Again

[@PopeOfPopOfficial]

Tommaso, you win the internet! This video is gold.

[@christopherheckman7957]

(1) I wouldn't say it's negative, so much as "complementary" rhythm. (2) If you have several parts, where in each "pocket" you have exactly one note, it's called a rhythmic canon, especially if every rhythm is a shift of a previous one; x_x_ and _x_x, for instance, because _x_x is x_x_ played after waiting one eighth note. (3) 6:24 "There's a sign on the wall/But she wants to be sure/'Cause you know, sometimes words have two meanings." (4) 8:59 Alternatively, you could get an amp that goes up to 11.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

1) In visual arts they call it "negative space" rather than "complementary space" too, so I don't feel guilty about the choice. 2) it's a canon if it repeats 3) :-) 4) but they can do that too, and then I need an amp that goes to 12...

[@christopherheckman7957]

@@MusicTheoryForGuitar (2) True. I've also seen them called "tiling anons".

[@johnmac8084]

That makes sense that a pocket is a space waiting to be filled, not a full pocket that you're going to stuff to overflowing. I think I'll vote for that definition Tommaso 😀

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

They have two very different meanings. One is playing with a tight rhythm, the other is just a decision on what beats to play on. These are certainly *not* mutually exclusive ideas and another term (playing in the spaces) already exists. Why fix something that isn't broken? And there's certainly no reason to exclude one concept for another when there is no conflict other than the name. I'll stick to using the term as the overwhelming majority of musicians use the term. That way I'll be understood and not just making communication more difficult because a term can be seen to mean something else.

[@bobdole9163]

As a drummer I've always tried to alternate between playing the negative and matching my guitarists. I've always felt it keeps the music more alive.

[@dadatv1961]

Excellent lesson!

[@Nova-BlackStrat]

Great specific solution for that “sonic battle” that’s always happening between band mates! 😂✌🏻

[@stein0niets]

in the pocket means in that spot that it feels still in time (but the pocket is not exact) for example the feel can be bass behind the beat slightly for feel. thats why its a " pocket" and not a " point" but i might be misinformed.

[@charliebrogan5122]

Man you’re awesome! Love the vids so much 😁

[@RandyBakkelund]

Man this is so cool, I'm surprised I've never heard of this, thanks so much for posting this. This should open up doors for many creative ideas!

[@tommytam100]

Its always better to tell your band what you going to do before playing. There is chance 2 or more players end up playing with similar concept, filling pocket at same time.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

The other guitarist in one of my bands plays loudly through a Marshall half stack, mainly cowboy chords and open string riffs, competing with the bass and drums. Her boyfriend tells me I play too loud. I have the rest of the spectrum to myself, play in the gaps, mainly triads up the neck, through my un-miked clean 6 watt combo.

[@markandoyo2204]

As just strictly opposing to the Rage Against the Machine's Bassline Masterpiece?

[@gtrdoc911]

Great insight!

[@glenmartin9974]

Thank you, this is brilliant!

[@rodolfoalvim]

valuable info

[@dennismcquoid9751]

Love it!

[@walterconrad2987]

Thank you, both 'in the pocket'-approaches are valid topics on their own importance. When band is playing in loose connection to rhythm, it's just horrible.. The second one reminds 'the concept of space' by Paul Jackson Jr.. btw if you resolve your fill-in lick mostly to note your singer is going sing on next bar, she/he would be on your string

[@PsyMongazoid]

The singer will like you because you're complimenting their singing part when you add your bit on the end of theirs.

[@Guitarin90seconds]

Nicely done! You are always the innovator! 🙏🙏🦋

[@couchoclocknews]

Man got the chillest lead singer 11:00

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)

[@stevelaferney3579]

Playing “in the pocket” means you have great ability to play tightly within the rhythm of the song. If you come in on 1 you are right on the 1, not early nor late. Same if you start on the 8th note from the beginning note of a measure; right there, consistently every time everyone hears and knows you will be there when you are supposed to be. A band can play “in the pocket” as well as a person or several players in a larger group. “Man they’re tight! Right “in the pocket.”

[@osman2k]

thanks..

[@guitarrarevolucinaria]

Wonderful

[@colinmacdonald3931]

Nice, I shall certanly be adding this to the practice part of my brain for tomorrow. Thank you. Made perfect sense. Now where is that book.....🤘🤘

[@aldorecords2590]

Sei un grande!

[@vadimzitsermusicianvlogcha3870]

I would suggest to practice alternating positive and negative rhythms in quarter notes-not in eghts. Only four events in a bar will help your flow in beginning...

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

They're not mutually exclusive. Edit: The more I think about this, the more I wish you had mentioned that most musicians use the term to mean "tight rhythm" and so if a person uses the term to mean something else, that will only cause confusion and likely a whole lot of unnecessary arguments. It would like someone insisting everyone else suddenly uses their new system instead of the equally functional system already in place that most musicians already understand. Some traditions are okay as they are. Some can improved upon, but if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it. So the question is: _is this system broke or not?_ I don't think it is, but I am still open to considering other opinions. Regardless, the rhythm lesson is really really good !! More of that for sure, please.😊

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

Yes, they are not mutually exclusive, and I honestly don't know what meaning is most common or used by "most musicians". I take no sides, I only present what is out there ;-) (When I'm in doubt, I just ask, "do you mean 'play tight' or do you mean 'don't play where everybody else is playing'?" and then I know what THAT person means)

[@observer7418]

Does that count for playing in between notes like CSN where Stills and David Crosby would be both playing at the same time but "complimenting" each other? Syncopation?

[@philmckenna5709]

ComplEmenting. One is the COMPLEMENT of the other, i.e fills or fulfils or completes

[@andrietidie2212]

first beat must be a quarter if u play it without the rest on the up of the first beat, note duration means alot.

[@theprimal2781]

singers might not raise their shoulders when they take a breath (assuming they are belly breathing, which they probably should be). could be a better plan to find the pattern in the singer’s lyrics (which there should be if the song is written well)

[@OdaKa]

holy moly

[@guitashamilele]

Snog & snack shack, Olde slag pub -- just like me old stomping ground in... Australia? I guess.

[@chrisrosencrans]

Don't have any of those issues if you only play alone in your room 😂

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)

[@baschdiro8565]

That's what every trombone player does in a polka.

[@MusicTheoryForGuitar]

:-)

[@markandoyo2204]

I better prefer Funk Music with limited riffs to fill the Basslines have nurtures to be heard

[@2P2G5C]

I.II.IIIIII.II.I

[@orchestratedpassage9468]

andy r u goofing on elvis...

[@aronhidman1]

You not playing the same rhythms that you write down. Note length matters too. I'm sure there is some good point to this way of thinking, but it ignores important information.

[@christylove4834]

Oh the Reverse BS , Calmer , No , something about violence, articulation, delivery etc ..& Mt Dew deadpan Delivery, No Funnyn, Negotiate u it Repelling, Unpleasant

[@EGuitarInstitute]

Music video needs more practical examples rather than teaching verbally... Your tried to explain everything imaginary.

[@rajendraranade9046]

You talked so much instead had played and shown it would be better

[@Dogeatbicycle]

I liked then unliked just like you asked :)

[@BURN_SHITTUBE]

rhythmn't