Hi Miles, I wanted to make a comment as I had trouble completing both this exercise as well as the rhythmic distortion exercise. My main issue is that I still haven't internalized intervals of length 7 or 8, just because I haven't practiced them enough yet. So I can't do pulse changes with 7 or 8 against arbitrary rhythms yet, at least not on the first try. Anyway, just some terminology, I call the tempo I am thinking about the intervals with respect to, the dots. So for example, in a duple pulse I'll just have two dots for each hit. (ie: I'm just thinking about the pulse as another rhythm). If I am playing a rhythm in duple pulse while playing a rhythm in triple pulse say, I guess I'm still technically supposed to be thinking of both pairs of dots at the same time, but sometimes I'll cheat and think of one with respect to the dots and another with respect to the actual pulse hits I'm doing with my foot. Anyway, when I was working on the rhythmic distortion exercise I wanted to at least be able to get more precise pulses (since I couldn't get 7 or 8), so I started with trying to be able to get pulses of length 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 (with respect to the dots). And the way I would do this was with polypulses. For a 1.5 pulse, I would just do two hits for every 3 dots (3 against 2), and then still I would just think about the rhythms I'm playing with respect to those dots. And so then as an exercise I'd then do the pulse changes in increments of 0.5 or something, but you could take this a lot further, and get really precise if you wanted. The unexpected thing though, was that this really helped me with polyrhythms. For example, 3 against 8 used to be challenging for me. But now I'll just think of the pulse as a 1.5 pulse, and then play intervals of length 4 through it. So then I can play it without having to first practice and internalize longer intervals. And although I guess it's kind of a crutch, at least for now this has helped me a lot to play longer polyrhythms faster and without having to think. (Except large primes against primes for now, but luckily primes get slightly less frequent as numbers get larger). And it also just gives me a lot more perspectives. For example say, I wanted to play 12 against 5. Well then I can think about a 5/3 pulse and then play 4s through it, I can think about a 5/4 pulse and play 3s through it, can think about a 5/2 pulse and play 6s through it, etc. And then you can even take this a lot further for more ways to do the same thing. For example, feed 4s through the 1.5 pulse and now you're playing 3 against 8. Now internalize the 4s (which are technically 8s in triple pulse), and you can subdivide them into thirds lets say, so now the "4s" are just a triple pulse, and now you are playing 9 against 8. In this way I find that this method helps me switch to arbitrary multiples faster. And even further (if you want to alter the denominator as well) instead of thinking of the "4s" as a triple pulse you can think of them as a 1.5 pulse, (that is doing 3 hits for every two "fours" you think of) and now you are playing 9 against 16. Anyway I'm sure you're already familiar with this since you're a master of rhythm and frankly a role model of mine. But I just wanted to pass on this information as it's opened up a lot of new possibilities for me.
I think its especially useful for doing illusions where one polyrhythm becomes another when put in a different perspective. Kind of like what you do in "Halfway", except with respect to another pulse.
Check out karnatic rhythm techniques - the system has unique syllables and sequences to learn complicated polyrhythms. Great way to practice feeling the rhythms without your instrument.
That's correct, a technique I learned in Brazil. Except in that case it's not alternating because it's 5. It's up, up, down, up, down, where the the downs use the backs of the fingernails.
Miles Okazaki Right, and the septuplets look like up up down up down up down... sorry I referred to you as if you wouldn’t reply to my comment personally haha. Anyway I appreciate you confirming my observation and want you to know that your book is amazing. It has helped me continually push my technique into levels of much deeper understanding. Thank you!
YO MILES!! Allyn here...we were in Stean's Institute together around 2001..anyway..love this man..thanks..I'm gonna shed this stuff
thanks dude! your previous book on rhythmic modes really sent me on a journey, I feel I owe you a lot. keep doing what you do!
Amazing stuff, Miles.
This is beautiful! Just bought your book.
Excellent lesson ... Really cool ...
So Good!
Very cool Miles!
"...on top I'll put some bitches.": )
great stuff Miles, taught your modulation game to a student the other day, great exercise!!
Wonderful! Thank you!
very creative ! cool
It will take me some time to get this…
Hi Miles,
I wanted to make a comment as I had trouble completing both this exercise as well as the rhythmic distortion exercise. My main issue is that I still haven't internalized intervals of length 7 or 8, just because I haven't practiced them enough yet. So I can't do pulse changes with 7 or 8 against arbitrary rhythms yet, at least not on the first try.
Anyway, just some terminology, I call the tempo I am thinking about the intervals with respect to, the dots. So for example, in a duple pulse I'll just have two dots for each hit. (ie: I'm just thinking about the pulse as another rhythm). If I am playing a rhythm in duple pulse while playing a rhythm in triple pulse say, I guess I'm still technically supposed to be thinking of both pairs of dots at the same time, but sometimes I'll cheat and think of one with respect to the dots and another with respect to the actual pulse hits I'm doing with my foot.
Anyway, when I was working on the rhythmic distortion exercise I wanted to at least be able to get more precise pulses (since I couldn't get 7 or 8), so I started with trying to be able to get pulses of length 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 (with respect to the dots). And the way I would do this was with polypulses. For a 1.5 pulse, I would just do two hits for every 3 dots (3 against 2), and then still I would just think about the rhythms I'm playing with respect to those dots. And so then as an exercise I'd then do the pulse changes in increments of 0.5 or something, but you could take this a lot further, and get really precise if you wanted.
The unexpected thing though, was that this really helped me with polyrhythms. For example, 3 against 8 used to be challenging for me. But now I'll just think of the pulse as a 1.5 pulse, and then play intervals of length 4 through it. So then I can play it without having to first practice and internalize longer intervals. And although I guess it's kind of a crutch, at least for now this has helped me a lot to play longer polyrhythms faster and without having to think. (Except large primes against primes for now, but luckily primes get slightly less frequent as numbers get larger).
And it also just gives me a lot more perspectives. For example say, I wanted to play 12 against 5. Well then I can think about a 5/3 pulse and then play 4s through it, I can think about a 5/4 pulse and play 3s through it, can think about a 5/2 pulse and play 6s through it, etc.
And then you can even take this a lot further for more ways to do the same thing. For example, feed 4s through the 1.5 pulse and now you're playing 3 against 8. Now internalize the 4s (which are technically 8s in triple pulse), and you can subdivide them into thirds lets say, so now the "4s" are just a triple pulse, and now you are playing 9 against 8. In this way I find that this method helps me switch to arbitrary multiples faster. And even further (if you want to alter the denominator as well) instead of thinking of the "4s" as a triple pulse you can think of them as a 1.5 pulse, (that is doing 3 hits for every two "fours" you think of) and now you are playing 9 against 16.
Anyway I'm sure you're already familiar with this since you're a master of rhythm and frankly a role model of mine. But I just wanted to pass on this information as it's opened up a lot of new possibilities for me.
I think its especially useful for doing illusions where one polyrhythm becomes another when put in a different perspective. Kind of like what you do in "Halfway", except with respect to another pulse.
Polypulse* but you can apply the concept to speeds of general polyrhythms as well.
i always say "set" instead of seven cause its one syllable
Check out karnatic rhythm techniques - the system has unique syllables and sequences to learn complicated polyrhythms. Great way to practice feeling the rhythms without your instrument.
10:07 Looks like he's doing down strokes with his fingernails... So alternating up and down with the fingertips... something I've never tried.
That's correct, a technique I learned in Brazil. Except in that case it's not alternating because it's 5. It's up, up, down, up, down, where the the downs use the backs of the fingernails.
Miles Okazaki Right, and the septuplets look like up up down up down up down... sorry I referred to you as if you wouldn’t reply to my comment personally haha. Anyway I appreciate you confirming my observation and want you to know that your book is amazing. It has helped me continually push my technique into levels of much deeper understanding. Thank you!