To understand the theory about FIVES and how you can learn to play them and hear what they sound like I will explain briefly how I teach them to my students. Being a drum teacher, I explain from a drummers perspective - but the theory is easily adapted for guitarists (up- and downstrokes) or bassists (index and middle finger). You get the overall idea.
Starting with quintuplets (famous examples of fives appear in Chopin's sonata in C minor and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony) would be a good idea - count five hits per beat. Drummers have many alternative stickings for quintuplets, but let's settle for left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right. Use a metronome when you are practicing this and it's also a good thing to use your voice to really get it into your system. Try saying DA LA PI KO LA when practicing fives.
Let us move on to 5 against 2 as soon as you feel comfortable with quintuplets. Use the same rlrlr lrlrl etc. and start to accent every other hit: RlRlR lRlRl So, all the hits with the right hand are accented! There you have the fundamental five-against-two sound. And as soon as you are comfortable doing this, just play the accents and, there you have it!
A bit trickier in character, 5 against 4 can take longer to learn. Let's return to the quintuplets again, using the same left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right as before. But this time we're accenting every other hit the right hand is doing, something like this: RlrlR lrlRl rlRlr lRlrl and there you have the rhythm-sound of 5 against 4! This is somewhat hard to hear in slower tempos. As soon as you can play this fluently, try only playing the accents.
Now have a great time with those polyrhythms, and by all means - go surprise your drummer!
Starting with quintuplets (famous examples of fives appear in Chopin's sonata in C minor and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony) would be a good idea - count five hits per beat. Drummers have many alternative stickings for quintuplets, but let's settle for left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right. Use a metronome when you are practicing this and it's also a good thing to use your voice to really get it into your system. Try saying DA LA PI KO LA when practicing fives.
Let us move on to 5 against 2 as soon as you feel comfortable with quintuplets. Use the same rlrlr lrlrl etc. and start to accent every other hit: RlRlR lRlRl So, all the hits with the right hand are accented! There you have the fundamental five-against-two sound. And as soon as you are comfortable doing this, just play the accents and, there you have it!
A bit trickier in character, 5 against 4 can take longer to learn. Let's return to the quintuplets again, using the same left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right as before. But this time we're accenting every other hit the right hand is doing, something like this: RlrlR lrlRl rlRlr lRlrl and there you have the rhythm-sound of 5 against 4! This is somewhat hard to hear in slower tempos. As soon as you can play this fluently, try only playing the accents.
Now have a great time with those polyrhythms, and by all means - go surprise your drummer!
About the Author:
Looking to find the best deal on polyrhythmic drum loops, then visit www.oddgrooves.com to find the best advice on polyrhythms for you.
