Two-Three Tips?
April 24, 2011 4:48 PM
I'd like to learn a simple 2-3 rhythm.
For some reason it feels like my brain just doesn't want to compute anything but a 4-4.
I start with hand A doing a 1-2-3. I introduce my hand B. I can tap 1-2-3, or 1-2, or 1-3 or 2-3, but I can't seem to process any half-measures. As soon as I try I'm pretty sure I've changed to a 4-4.
It seems like such a basic thing to do. Are there any tricks or exercises for learning how to do this?
Also out of curiosity, is it usually easier to do half-measures with the dominant hand or to hold a steady rhythm with that hand?
posted by tybeet (5 comments total)
1 user marked this as a favorite
For some reason it feels like my brain just doesn't want to compute anything but a 4-4.
I start with hand A doing a 1-2-3. I introduce my hand B. I can tap 1-2-3, or 1-2, or 1-3 or 2-3, but I can't seem to process any half-measures. As soon as I try I'm pretty sure I've changed to a 4-4.
It seems like such a basic thing to do. Are there any tricks or exercises for learning how to do this?
Also out of curiosity, is it usually easier to do half-measures with the dominant hand or to hold a steady rhythm with that hand?
Thanks, I'll give this a shot!
I also stumbled on this video from your YT query and that "cold cup of tea" mnemonic makes a whole lot of sense.
posted by tybeet at 6:14 PM on April 24, 2011
I also stumbled on this video from your YT query and that "cold cup of tea" mnemonic makes a whole lot of sense.
posted by tybeet at 6:14 PM on April 24, 2011
...that "cold cup of tea" mnemonic makes a whole lot of sense.
And for 3-against-4, try "pass the god-damn butter". Works like a charm.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:03 AM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
And for 3-against-4, try "pass the god-damn butter". Works like a charm.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:03 AM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Here's how I do it.
Don't think about 2-against-3 as it will drive you nuts.
Instead as man vs sun says, you subdivide the beat down until you can plot the beats on a kind of grid. For X beats against Y you need X times Y subdivisions, so for 2 against 3 it is six subdivisions.
Now you write the two patterns above each other like this:
* . * . * .
* . . * . .
Where the asterisks are hits.
Okay, well this is just a plain old drum beat in 6/8, right?
The top line is your left hand and the bottom line is your right hand.
You just play it through at agonizingly slow pace and speed up, counting the beats as
one-and-twp-and-three-and
Count it out loud, as slow as you can, and speed up very gradually.
You will hear a distinctive rhythm emerge. THAT is what goes into you brain.
Now look at your hands. One is playing threes, one is playing twos. But you are not thinking about it. That is the key.
posted by unSane at 9:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't think about 2-against-3 as it will drive you nuts.
Instead as man vs sun says, you subdivide the beat down until you can plot the beats on a kind of grid. For X beats against Y you need X times Y subdivisions, so for 2 against 3 it is six subdivisions.
Now you write the two patterns above each other like this:
* . * . * .
* . . * . .
Where the asterisks are hits.
Okay, well this is just a plain old drum beat in 6/8, right?
The top line is your left hand and the bottom line is your right hand.
You just play it through at agonizingly slow pace and speed up, counting the beats as
one-and-twp-and-three-and
Count it out loud, as slow as you can, and speed up very gradually.
You will hear a distinctive rhythm emerge. THAT is what goes into you brain.
Now look at your hands. One is playing threes, one is playing twos. But you are not thinking about it. That is the key.
posted by unSane at 9:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
sorry, missed out the formatting on the above. It's like this:
subdivide into 3x4 = 12 beats
This is how drummers learn crazy stuff, literally beat by beat. Just looking at your limbs and commanding them to be independent doesn't work at all. But learn a bunch of stuff like this and speed it up and the independence happens by itself.
posted by unSane at 9:10 PM on April 26, 2011
and 3 against 4 works out like this* . * . * . * . . * . .
subdivide into 3x4 = 12 beats
Count it as 1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4-and-a, as slow as you need to get your RH and LH going.* . . * . . * . . * . . * . . . * . . . * . . .
This is how drummers learn crazy stuff, literally beat by beat. Just looking at your limbs and commanding them to be independent doesn't work at all. But learn a bunch of stuff like this and speed it up and the independence happens by itself.
posted by unSane at 9:10 PM on April 26, 2011
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This youtube search has some various approaches that may help out as well.
posted by man vs sun at 5:21 PM on April 24, 2011 [1 favorite]