To begin, polyrhythms aren’t really all that complicated when you look at the big picture. They consist of two different voices, each playing with what is perceived as a fundamentally different pulse.
This can also be expressed as a ratio. For example, you could have a pulse of two, playing with a pulse of three, making a 3:2 polyrhythm. In fact, this is a very special polyrhythm known as the “hemiola.” This polyrhythm plays an important part in music from many different genres from Afro-Cuban Jazz, Classical, Techno, Hip-Hop, Balinese Gamelan, and beyond.
When you use a tuplet of some kind, like a triplet, as long as this voice is not the only thing playing, you’ll get a polyrhythm. Sometimes we talk about polyrhythms as one voice performing a grid-based (sometimes called “rational”) rhythm, and the other performing a non-grid based (also called “irrational”) rhythm on top. There can be longer form polyrhythms too though, which due to their length, can fit within the musical grid. This would be something like two voices going over several bars of music to fit in the correct polyrhythm.
It probably goes without saying that the ultimate goal of writing and producing music is to express ideas, emotions, and thoughts with the rest of the world; to translate your thoughts into sound and share them.
Simple enough!
But of course, each of the sounds bouncing around in your head requires a system for putting them down on paper, or more likely today, into your digital audio workstation. It’s also most likely safe to say that your ideas, feelings, and thoughts on music are complex, free flowing, and full of meaning. Over the past several hundred years, we’ve developed a grid-like system for writing down rhythms and note relationships. This system is based on multiples of two, and produces very organized rhythms and beats when you use it. A lot of the time, it works just fine! But if you want to really take your ideas and musical statements to the next level, breaking out of the “grid” is exactly what you want to do…
The grid is important, but don’t feel trapped by it!
As you might remember from our previous post on “Breaking-Up the Grid” we talked about the curious “Triplet” which is certainly trending in music production. Triples are simply three notes, equally spaced where two or four would occur. In this way, we’re stepping out of the “multiple-of-two” system, and making rhythms which go outside that. As you can imagine, this technique is pretty popular! Triplets are also part of a larger family of grid-smashers, known as “Tuplets,” where you can place any number of beats into a space where they wouldn't fit normally due to the grid’s unforgiving walls. This could be seven beats in the space of eight, or even thirteen!
If your heart demands it, Tuplets can free you to place beats in just about any space. While that’s all well and good, it’s important to mention that playing a “Tuplet” refers to just a single voice, and that putting multiple grid-based and non-grid rhythms on top of each other is something else altogether: the polyrhythm.
In this example, we can see a 5:4 polyrhythm. Each box represents a beat, and over the course of a bar, the red voice pulses equally five times while the blue voice pulses four times. Listen to the example audio to hear it out. The hi-hat will play the red “irrational” rhythm on top of the kick and rim-shot.
Polyrhythms add layers of texture and rhythm that can take compositions to the next level. In classical music, legends like Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky weave polyrhythms into complex tapestries of sound. Jazz gets its groove from polyrhythms too—think Max Roach and Elvin Jones laying down those killer beats. Afro-Cuban tunes thrive on polyrhythms, bringing the fire to Rumba and Salsa with their intricate rhythmic dance.
In electronic dance music genres like techno and house, polyrhythms create dynamic soundscapes that energize the dance floor. Rock and progressive metal bands use them to break from tradition, offering thrilling musical experiences. What we're trying to say is; basically any genre of music can harness the power of polyrhythms. It's just a question of experimenting in your productions.
For musicians looking to master polyrhythms, the metronome is a fantastic tool. It helps in developing the intricate timing and precision required to execute polyrhythms accurately. Start by setting the metronome to a slow tempo to allow for a clear distinction between the different rhythms.
Choose a simple polyrhythm, such as a 3:2 pattern, and use the metronome to break down each voice separately. Practice tapping one hand to the metronome's beat (for one voice) while using the other hand to tap the second rhythm. Gradually increase the tempo as you build confidence and accuracy.
A common approach is to first internalize each rhythm individually before slowly combining them while the metronome keeps a steady beat. Consistent practice with a metronome not only aids in understanding polyrhythms but also hones a musician's overall sense of timing, making it an essential practice tool in any musician's arsenal.
In other cases, we use the term “cross-rhythm” which is sometimes used in polyrhythm’s stead, but references a specific musical context. In a cross-rhythm, the polyrhythm continues uninterrupted through out the song. In the song “Odessa” by Caribou, you can hear a hemiola-like baseline rhythm, which sounds like it resets itself every bar. In the case of a cross-rhythm, this would continue onward without re-starting.
In these two audio files, listen to how this 3:2 polyrhythm also known as a hemiola, can sound if it’s a cross-rhythm. Can you hear the polyrhythm pulse without repeating over the length of a single bar?
Overall, polyrhythms are important in music. They broaden our musical lexicon and give producers, composers, and musicians additional options. Polyrhythms also elegantly explain some of music's odder rhythmic relationships, allowing us to study and employ them for astounding musical possibilities. Want more ear training? Check out our polyrhythm playlist! Here are some of the more remarkable examples we found. Find the polyrhythms in each song!
Polyrhythms can seem complicated at first, but are fairly straight-forward when you look at the big picture. They consist of two different voices, each playing with what is perceived as a fundamentally different pulse. What does that mean? Sign up to Melodics and take our lesson.
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