All About...

Polyrhythm

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In Western music, you’ll most often see music written in pretty
straightforward time signatures, such as 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, or 2/2.
This is especially prevalent in genres such as blues, rock, pop,
folk, and country.

All these styles are typically built on common rhythms that are made
up of quarter notes, 8th notes, 16th notes, and so on.

Things get more interesting as you look at genres such as jazz and
metal, and especially at music from Africa and India. This music often
has rhythms that are much more elaborate, incorporating polyrhythms
​ yncopation1 for more complex (and in some cases, very
and​ s
danceable!) drum beats.

So how do we play, write, and internalize these rhythms?

In this guide to polyrhythms for beginners, we’ll introduce you to the

concept of polyrhythms, provide you with examples of this rhythmic
complexity, and share some techniques for counting and feeling
polyrhythms.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand ​what makes a

polyrhythm, how to count them, and how you can practice
them on your instrument.​ You’ll also be able to clap out the two
most common polyrhythms, and recognize them in music. And best of
all, you’ll have gotten a taste of the endless possibilities that
polyrhythms can give music - and will be equipped with ideas of how
you can apply this new knowledge to your own songwriting.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is a polyrhythm? 3
When and where are polyrhythms used? 3
African Origins 4
Polyrhythm in Jazz 4
Polyrhythm in Rock and Metal 5
The Hemiola 5
How Do We Define A Polyrhythm? 6
The Polyrhythmic Formula 6
What is and isn’t a Polyrhythm? 9
Counting Polyrhythms 12
Polyrhythm Phrasing 12
Complex Counting 14
The Lowest Common Multiple 14
How To Practice Polyrhythms 16
Polyrhythms Are Not As Confusing As They Seem! 16
Put Your Body into It 16
Learn with a Metronome 17
Use a Sequencer 17
Polyrhythms and Melody 18
Beyond The Basics 19

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What is a polyrhythm?
Simply put, ​a polyrhythm consists of layers of simpler rhythms​.
More than one type of rhythm is played at the same time, with each
rhythm containing a different beat subdivision.

The rhythmic tension and release found in polyrhythms makes them

danceable, aurally interesting, and more expressive than your typical
four-on-the-floor rhythm.

In Western music, the typical rhythm has a marked emphasis on beat

one, and every other beat in the bar is considered a secondary beat.
When rhythms are layered one atop the other, the pattern of emphasis
shifts in different ways, giving polyrhythms a distinct feel - ​these
rhythms have more “fill” and are often more complex than
those found in traditional Western music.

Take a listen to Mongo Santamaria’s rendition of “Afro Blue”:

Mongo Santamaria - Afro Blue2

Once you tune your ears to polyrhythms, you’ll notice that it’s possible
to count the meter differently for different instruments - the multiple
percussion instruments overlap and interweave beautifully to form a
complex, cohesive rhythm.

That rhythm you hear right at the beginning of the song is a

polyrhythm in itself, and probably sounds quite familiar, as a lot of
Afro-cuban music makes use of a polyrhythmic djembe beat to form
the backbone of the song. Think about this: when’s the last time you
heard a straightforward 4/4 rhythm played on African drums?

Let’s look at some other genres that make use of these intricate
rhythmic patterns.

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When and where are polyrhythms used?
Presently, you’ll find these intricate rhythms in Indian music,
Afro-Cuban music, jazz, hip hop, metal, and even some popular music.
However, these rhythms can be traced back to a point of origin...

African Origins

Most polyrhythms that we hear today originated in the musical

traditions of Africa, with highly danceable rhythms played on
traditional percussion instruments. ​The organic, complex rhythms
served an important social purpose in African culture: they are
a musical symbol of the rich relationships between individuals
that combine to build the cohesive cultural expression of a
community.

Polyrhythms provide a perfect way to musically tell stories on many

levels - a rhythmic tradition that has continued and evolved in
subsequent styles of African and African-American music.

Watch famed African drummer Babatunde Olatunji demonstrate the

Liberian Fanga rhythm:

Babatunde Olatunji’s interpretation of Fanga, a Rhythm from Liberia3

Note the rhythmic complexity - there is a polyrhythm both within the

main djembe rhythm, ​and ​between all the instruments being played.

The importance of this rhythmic sensibility can't be overstated. In fact,

the influence of African polyrhythmic drumming has even extended
into the present-day dancefloor! Okay Africa details​ ​how today's club
music owes its dues to African drumming traditions4 in a fascinating
interview with filmmaker Crudo Volta.

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Polyrhythm in Jazz

Jazz was one of the first Western music traditions to embrace

polyrhythms, taking cues from African drumming and singing
traditions and blending it with Western music sensibilities.

Listen to Avishai Cohen’s “Pinzin Kinzin”, taking note of how the piano,
bass, and drums play off of each other to achieve a robust overall
rhythm:

Avishai Cohen - Pinzin Kinzin5

If you're a jazz musician itching to get the basics of polyrhythm down,

LearnJazzStandards has excellent​ ​beginner exercises with 3:2
polyrhythms6 for you to sink your teeth into.

Polyrhythm in Rock and Metal

As rock ‘n’ roll spawned genres such as industrial, progressive rock,

and experimental/art rock, there arose a tendency to play with rhythm
and time signatures. As a result, ​a great number of artists have
experimented with writing music with complex fills, unusual
rhythmic patterns, and multiple simultaneous meters.

Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor is known for his sonic experimentation,
and makes good use of noise, distortion, dissonance, and - you
guessed it - polyrhythms. Listen to one of NIN’s more soothing tracks,
appropriately entitled “La Mer”, and see if you can spot the
polyrhythm:

Nine Inch Nails - La Mer7

Answer on next page.

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At [1:22], the drums kick in, playing four beats against the three beats
of the piano.

The Hemiola

One of the most common polyrhythmic motifs found in music is the

hemiola:

The hemiola is simply three beats with equal value spaced across two
beats - in other words, three notes are superimposed onto two. This
polyrhythm is found in African music, where it often repeats across the
whole song and is referred to as a cross rhythm, or a systematic
rhythm that is the base of a piece.

Interestingly, it is also found in Western music, with ​baroque music

making use of the hemiola to surprise the listener and play
around with rhythm.​ David Kulma explains the hemiola using
Handel’s famous “Water Music Suite in D Major”:

David Kulma - The Hemiola, Explained8

Essentially, the hemiola surprises the ear by playing with different

groupings of a bar of six beats, ​resulting in a piece of music being

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felt in two rhythms simultaneously​. You can see why it's one of
the most brilliantly simple polyrhythms out there.

How Do We Define A Polyrhythm?

Before we get into playing and counting out polyrhythms, let’s have a
look at how they’re constructed.

The Polyrhythmic Formula

Polyrhythms are defined in three ways:

● X over Y
● X against Y
● X:Y

All three mean the same thing, and are used interchangeably. For
example, the hemiola polyrhythm discussed above is a 3 over 2 or 3:2
polyrhythm.

Let’s look at what these numbers mean, taking the simple 3:2
polyrhythm as an example.

Generally, ​Y ​is the basic pulse, over which the counter rhythm
will be played, and ​X i​ s the counter rhythm.

Therefore in 3:2, ​X ​= 3 and ​Y​ = 2. The polyrhythm will be played over

two beats, with three evenly spaced beats played on top of those two
beats - this is also known as triplets over duplets:

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Triplets and Duplets - Listen Online9

Remember that the triplets and duplets take up the same amount of
time, so that the first notes in each individual rhythm will sound
together. ​Naturally, this means that the triplets will be played
faster than the duplets, in order to arrive on beat one at the
same time.

For a more in-depth look at the 3:2 polyrhythm and how to hear it,
check out​ ​Greg Dyke's excellent primer10.

Let’s look at another polyrhythm, the 4 against 3 polyrhythm:

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Counting 4 against 3 - Listen Online11

Here, ​X ​is 3, and ​Y ​is 4. Therefore, the polyrhythm will be played over
four beats, with three evenly spaced beats played overtop. As in the
previous example, the only time the beats line up is on beat one.

What is and isn’t a Polyrhythm?

Polyrhythms give the impression of one beat being superimposed onto

another, causing conflict. Again, a basic example is the 3:2
polyrhythm, where triplets are played over duplets:

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Triplets and Duplets - Listen Online12

Typically, two rhythms will only be considered a polyrhythm if

they have no common divisor other than 1​. In the case of a 3:2
polyrhythm, there is no number (besides 1) that will divide into both 2
and 3. We can conclude that 3:2 is, in fact, a polyrhythm.

However, if in the same rhythm the 8th notes are replaced with
quarter notes, it ceases to be a polyrhythm. This is because there are
no longer contrasting beats. Though it may feel like you are playing in
two different times, you are not:

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Triplets and Quarter Notes - Listen Online13

Try out the following short exercise! Determine whether each example
is considered a polyrhythm or not using the simple rule above:

1) 5:4

2) 4:1

3) 2:5

4) 3:7

Answers on next page.

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 1. Polyrhythm
2. Not a polyrhythm
3. Polyrhythm
4. Polyrhythm

Counting Polyrhythms
The conventional counting method involves using “ah” and “and” to
count out loud. For example, to count 8th notes in 4/4 time, we would
use 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and. Similarly, counting 16th notes in 4/4
time would expand to 1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a-3-e-and-a-4-e-and-a.

We can tweak this counting method to fit even the most

complex polyrhythms.

However, there is a shortcut for playing the simpler polyrhythms out

there... Since so many polyrhythms sound like speech, why not start
there?

Polyrhythm Phrasing

Many of the simpler polyrhythms mimic the phrasing of simple, short

sentences. Therefore, a method that beginners may find easier and
more comfortable is associating a polyrhythm with a phrase that fits
with the beat. For example, you can use the phrase “Hot Cup of Tea”
to practice 3:2 polyrhythms:

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Hot Cup of Tea - Listen Online14

Hot Cup of Tea - Spoken - Listen Online15

For some variations on the 3:2 polyrhythm and how to play them on
​ iels Myrner’s exercises16.
the drums, check out​ N

The slightly trickier 4:3 polyrhythm can be remembered with the

phrase “What Atrocious Weather”, as follows:

Counting 4 against 3 - Listen Online17

The 3:2 and 4:3 rhythms are fairly straightforward once you get the
hang of them. Try playing along with​ ​Daily Drum Lesson's video
tutorial18.

Complex Counting

As your polyrhythms get wonkier and more complex, it’s harder to find
a phrase to fit the rhythm.

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This is where some simple math comes in handy. Bear with us, as this
little trick will help you count and play even the most bewildering
rhythms…

The Lowest Common Multiple

The lowest common multiple (LCM) is simply the lowest number that
two (or more) numbers can fit evenly into.​ We can figure out
exactly how to count a polyrhythm by finding the LCM of the
two numbers ​X​ and ​Y​.

Let’s look at the polyrhythm 3:4 as an example. The LCM is 12,

meaning that 12 beats represent a full “cycle” of the polyrhythm - it
takes 12 beats for the beat to “align” again.

Let’s lay out this polyrhythm in terms of a grid, split into 12 beats:

As you can see, the beats are evenly spaced in both the “4” rhythm
and the “3” rhythm, and the only time the beats occur simultaneously
is right at the beginning - on beat one.

Let’s try a 4:5 polyrhythm next. Figure out the LCM, and draw a beat
grid of what the rhythm will look like.

Answer on next page.

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The lowest common multiple (LCM) of 4 and 5 is 20 - therefore, it will
take 20 beats to go through one full cycle of 4:5.

Once you have a beat grid, all that’s left to do is play along!
Count out loud, clapping or tapping your foot everytime an “X”
appears.

For more complex polyrhythms and how to count them, check out
​ rum Lessons and
Understanding Polyrhythms by Kevin Barrett19 and​ D
Polyrhythm .
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How To Practice Polyrhythms

For drummers and musicians with a solid background in rhythm, the
road to learning polyrhythms will be an easier one than for those just
getting comfortable with playing beats.

Before diving in, remember to quickly remind yourself...

Polyrhythms Are Not As Confusing As They Seem!

Because polyrhythmic drumming has such intricate-sounding fills and

is played so quickly, it’s easy to be blown away by the sheer
complexity of the rhythms, and to be discouraged by the high skill
level needed to even play them.

But as with any type of learning, ​all it takes is breaking a tricky

concept down into its smaller parts​; keep in mind that
polyrhythms consist of simple rhythms played together in an
overlapping manner. Though seasoned drummers will certainly have
an easier time with polyrhythms than those with little background in
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rhythm, with practice, any musician can learn to incorporate them in
their practice.

As with anything, the key is to start small and start slow, then work
your way up to practicing more complex rhythms and playing them
faster.

Put Your Body into It

What better way to internalize polyrhythms than to put your whole

body into it?

If playing polyrhythms on your instrument is proving to be too difficult,

try using only body percussion to better get a feel for things.

As you saw above, simpler polyrhythms can be counted out with a

phrase that fits both rhythms. To complement the “Hot Cup of Tea”
exercise above, try slapping your hands on your thighs along to a 3:2
rhythm, with your right and left hands each taking on one rhythm:

Learn with a Metronome

For beginners, learning polyrhythms by ear with a metronome

is an excellent idea​. Again, be sure to start slow; set your
metronome to 60 beats per minute, taking the time to make sure you

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are getting every individual note/beat and speeding up as you become
more comfortable with the rhythm.

If you’re struggling to play a polyrhythm right off the bat with a simple
metronome, try out a polyrhythm metronome, such as​ ​PolyNome21! It
plays each beat of both meters for you to play along to, giving you the
opportunity to really internalize the feel of each polyrhythm. Especially
wonderful is the app's Practice Log feature - you can keep track of
what rhythms you played at what tempos and for how long, and even
have access to charts and reports to track your progress.

Use a Sequencer

Did the grid system for visualizing and counting polyrhythms especially
appeal to you? If so, your learning style may be best served with an
online sequencer tool22.

This tool comes with a plethora of instrument options, and has a highly
customizable grid that you can edit to fit nearly any time signature and
polyrhythm you can dream of. Best of all, there's a playback button so
you can hear exactly what your polyrhythm sounds like and clap or
play along.

The sequencer is also great for those wanting to experiment

with more complex polyrhythms​ - the boxes representing a hit can
be moved around, shortened, or lengthened with just one click.

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Polyrhythms and Melody

Wondering how you can play polyrhythms if you’re a piano player or

guitarist?

Try playing a beat on your instrument, whether it’s on one note or a

simple melodic motif, while humming, tapping, or clapping overtop in a
different rhythm. Start with an easier one such as 3:2.

Once you get better at this, you can lay down a 4/4 beat on a
metronome or drum machine, and ​try playing scales in a different
rhythm overtop the beat - for example, a 5:4 pattern.

​ olyrhythm examples for guitarists23 illustrate how

Mile High Shred's​ p
you can play over drum beats to form your own two-instrument
polyrhythms!

Beyond The Basics

Polyrhythms are tricky little beasts that will take some time to really
internalize and become comfortable with. Though they may appear
intimidatingly complicated at first, remember that polyrhythms are
made up of simple rhythms that are already familiar to you. The key is
to start practicing simpler polyrhythms with the help of a metronome,
and working your way up from there.

The good news: once you’ve nailed the basics, there’s no limit
to the rhythmic variation that you can give your music.

You can subdivide one or both of the basic rhythms contained in a

polyrhythm even further for another layer of rhythmic complexity. You
can switch from 3:2 to 5:4 and back to surprise your listener, signal
changes in music by adding a little polyrhythmic motif here and there,
and put a rhythmic spin on an otherwise basic 4/4 composition to
really make your music stand out. If you feel you have a good grasp

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on the basics, check out Time Manipulation's​ ​mini-lesson on some
intermediate polyrhythms24.

Polyrhythms are all about ​feel -​ so don't be afraid to experiment, get

your whole body involved in keeping time, and have fun - there’s no
limit to the fascinating rhythms that will emerge!

Before you know it, you’ll be incorporating the polyrhythms

you’ve learned into your musical practice, adding variation and
interest to the beats of your own songs.

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