Whats up everybody?! 
Rich Stitzel here coming to you from DrumMantra Studios in Chicago.
I want to thank all of you for watching the first video, “Rhythmic Perception; A Primer, Pt.1”. This video, Part 2, deals with applying the concept from the first video on to the drumset, so we’re actually going to take it to the drumset.

I want to answer a question real quick before we move on that I got from some people from the first video:

Why did I begin with 4 & 3 instead of 2 & 3?

The answer is, this video series is more about polymeters. Polymeters are the same subdivision with different durations so 4 & 3 would be 1,2,3, etc. & 1,2,3,4, etc.

Same subdivision, different durations.
The quarter note duration has four sixteenth notes. 1e&a2e&a3e&a
The faster one has three subdivisions of sixteenth notes. 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3,etc.

A polyrhythm would back us up to 2 & 3.
1&2&1&2&, tri-po-let, tri-po-let, etc.

A polyrhythm is different subdivisions resolving within the same amount of time.
A polymeter is same subdivisions with different durations so it takes longer for things to resolve. It takes longer for the resolution of this relationship to happen.

So, different subdivision, same resolution time is a polyrhythm.
Same subdivisions, different resolution time is a polymeter.
So all of this is about polymeters.

Ok. That was an awesome question. I’m so glad it was asked, and I’m glad we could clarify that. Now we will talk about polyrhythms for sure because they are a very interesting component of this whole concept.

I’d like to also remind you that if you have a question or comment on any of these videos if you would subscribe to this youtube channel you can make a comment and I’d be happy to answer every question or comment that you have.
Ok. So now its time to move it to the drumset. We are going to play right hand ride cymbal, left hand snare drum. Very basic, very simple. The pattern of 3 will start in the ride cymbal, the pattern of 4 will be in the snare drum.

You can play along with me. I’m going to count it in. Two measures of ¾ so its like, 1,2,3,1,2,3. Two measures of 3 and then we’re in. 16 bars total. Here we go…

Ok great! You’ve got it! I hope you do. We’ve done it over and over and over again. You’ve been able to play it with me, you’ve been able to play it with the metronome. Now we’re going to move to the next level of this thing which is a whole new subdivision. It’s a triplet subdivision. Everything happens in triplets. So instead of “Kick the silver bucket, Kick the silver bucket” we go “This rhythm is a trip. This rhythm is a trip” tri-po-let, tri-po-let, etc. Everything is now in triplet subdivisions. Still a polymeter because everything is a triplet.

We’re in 4/4. Here we go…

Ok great! That’s a tricky one, but I think you’ve probably gotten comfortable enough with it to move to the next one. Now, seriously, a reminder: Repeat this over and over and over until it feels good. Its not a math assignment, its not a big technical thing. We want to feel this. We want to play this so many times that it just feels natural to you.

The third level of this is a more abstract level. Instead of counting in 3 with the slow tempo, we’re going to count to 4. This takes three measures to resolve. We will do it 4 times in a row. So 3 measures, 4 times in a row. Here we go…

Did you work on that one for a while? You must have because I think I fell asleep. Alright, great. Lets move on to the next one. The final, most abstract, most “Jackson Pollack” of all the rhythms in this category of 3 &4. We are now going to count the fast tempo in ¾ time instead of 4/4 time.

Ok. Great job! We made it through all four perspectives of this 4 to 3 relationship. Very nice. We did it with our hands. Now, the next step is we’re going to switch hands and switch roles and do the whole thing again but with the faster groupings with the left hand and the slower groupings with the right hand.

The trick is, you’re probably going to say to yourself, “Oh. I understand how that works” and then just skip over it. I promise you that doing it is different than thinking about it. Sure we can intellectualize what its like to swap roles with our hands, but to actually do it is how you internalize it physically, how you gain the muscle memory, and how you make it part of your own vocabulary.