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

First thing I can think of is, subdivide each beat into eighths. There should be six eighth notes in a measure of three. In your head, start up a 1-2-3 pulse, and with one hand (I use my dominant hand), tap on 1 and the upbeat of 2 (halfway between 2 and three). Once you have that going, add the other hand tapping 1-2-3.

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]


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


...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]


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]


sorry, missed out the formatting on the above. It's like this:
* . * . * .
* . . * . .
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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