Professional Documents
Culture Documents
i-;ì me*rsl#*eì
.l ,,::.::,i]l.'....
l*l :.- : i
**{tr-ì'r/f-È:
! !FEbl,f ,|.:u. *
nr
!li{3i' f<.'
;tJ}-:.^*"":,*^
tiiÉ:jiil,:; ""
. ....ì:..... .....:i.,t,.,.,,,..":,:§
Ifl Ff;-r
,",:* * g*
fl1,.., t {i }-r i-
*vt.-jLJt"àLrii r rr *
tu
@*."
É4,b"
"W-&F"
e
F.
Eo Sarxoox
'l
fablc of C.orrtcttb
C) l6thNotesPhrasedin6. ......4o
D) l6thNotesPhrasedinT. ......4o
E) 16ft Notes with Mixed Phrasing . . . . . .42
F) 16ù Notes with Mixed Phrasing and Pitch . . . .43
G) QuarterNoteQuintupletsPhrasedin4in3/4 .. ......6o 4
i
I
H) 8th Note Quintuplets Phrased in 3 in 4/4 . . . . . .6r
D 8ù Note Quintuplets Phrased in 4 in 4/4 . | . . . .62
I MixedPhrasing of Polyrhythmsin4/ withPitch (no Rests) .........6g
K) Mixed Phrasing of Polyrhythmsin3/4 with Pitch (no Rests) .... .. . . .63
g-o.^r.r,
I * P,,nrrtvot-
1
INTRODUCTION
Not only does the specific selection of notes, level of harmonic sophistication and tech-
nique of a player contribute to the overall sound of an improviser, but a large part of
the player's sound and voice is determined by rhythm. Many improvisers work on
developing improvisational techniques based on note selection such as pentatonics,
chord scales, upper structure triads, etc. Harmony is usually addressed in depth as well.
However, rhythm is usually last on the list of priorities and never fully gets as much
attention. While some composers and improvisers do use select rhythmic phrasing in
their playing, rhythmic phrasing concepts are not used that exensively. As a result, the
world of rhythm has been underdeveloped and offers the improviser and composer
many untapped possibilities.
Many times, an improviser resorts to primarily consecutive 8ù notes played from meas-
ure to measure without any space. Some improvisers seemed to be "locked in" by the
chord changes and tend to play in one, two and four measure phrases. In addition,
there is either a lack of phrasing or the phrases and phrase lengths tend to be constrict-
ed by the chord changes. As a result, the lines tend to be monotonous, predictable and
hemmed in by the bar lines. Incorporating the phrasing concepts discussed in this
book should give the improviser's lines a sense of phrasing free from the bar lines and
consequently create lines that are more interesting and engaging to the listener.
Since they are primarily studying rhythm, drummers have much more expertise and
flexibil§ in using a variety of rhythmic phrasing when they play. Snare drum books
dealing with reading rhythms have a multitude and variety of many rhythms filled
with unusual rest placement, varied phrasing, unpredictable accents, etc. This level of
expertise with rhythm can be transferred to improvisation of a melodic nature once the
rhythmic concepts are assimilated and mastered in one's playing.
The material in this book is meant to expand the rhythmic palette for the improviser
and composer. The goal is for the reader tà assimilate the concepts covered in tire book
so that the rhythms will become instinctive and part of one's vocabulary in the
improvisational or composing process. It's one thing reading the rhythms and under-
standing the concepts; it's another matter to be able to incorporate these rhythms in a
natural and effortless way.
The concepts discussed in this book should also be useful for rhyhm section players
who accompany soloists. Being aware of these rhythmic concepts as well as being able
to hear them and respond to them, will help the accompanists better support the
soloist. Having the abil§ to hear a specific rhythmic grouping, when it starts and
when it ends, will enable the rhythm section player to better accompÉuly the soloist.
The material in this book will cover rhythmic phrasing based on 8ù notes, triplets and
16ù notes as well as some specific polyrhythms. The time signatures used in the exam-
ples include 3/4, 44 NtdSt+.
The material in the book can covered in any order and does not necessarily have to be
covered progressively from the beginning to the end.
The term rhythmic phrasing refers to the grouping of notes (called a rhythmic unit)
based on a specific rhythmic pulse such as 8ùs, triplets or 16ft notes. Depending on the
time signature, rhythmic pulse and rhythmic unit, the overall phrasing will generally
tend to cross the bar line thereby obscuring the overall time sense of time.
A note regarding the notation in the book: In all of the examples and etudes ttrough-
out the book, the initial rhythmic unit will be indicated with a bracket.
The term cycle is the time it takes for the rhythmic unit to play itself out from b"grr-
ning to end and to begin again on the dornmbeat of any succeeding measure.
For example, 8ùs phrased in 4 in 3/4 take two measures for the unit to start again on
the dovrmbeat of the 3'd measure. This two measure cycle will consist of 3 units of the
Sfts phrased in groups of 4.
z Mensune Cycu,
r Measune Cvcle
'31 13'
It would be of benefit to play the examples and etudes throughout the book with a
sense of musical§ as much as possible. The examples and etudes should be played
with a sense of nuance, varied articulation, dynamic shading, etc. The goal is to be able
to assimilate the various rhythmic phrasings into one's or,rm playing in a natural way.
Initially, the rhythmic groupings may sound academic.It is the goal, with practice, that
these rhythmic groupings will begin to sound more natural as an extension of one's
ovrm normal way of playing.
After playing the examples in this book, try improvising based on various rhythmic
groupings. At first, ry playrng various rhyhm units within a specific scale. The more
one practices these possible srouoines. the more will seem to naturallv aooear in
9*9 s-rryIgy§*lglr ; the is to be ythmic units in
a progression over the
Another option is to freely mix up various rhyhmic units based on one specific pulse
and be able to start the uni-t on any beat or any partial of any beat.
The improviser should be able to jump in and out of the rhythmic unit whether the
cycle is finished or not.44d Bgst.ir-npgrtantly,
Ihe improvJser linory yrhglg
lhould llglr
s9T:hs1pr-q-grg::gl-s-§.ysll**\ls5s[1.eTeat1@
In addition, it is suggested to freely go back and forth between rhythmic units based
uponvariousrhythmicpulsessuchas8ùs,triplet',16*'.M
rhvt-hgicunitl_ec-99-surlx.l*_119,"'b,"-"--.1-:9'3L-p_klsd
PolyRswsnns
Chapter 10 is but a short introduction into the vast topic of polyrhythms:Tuplets with
a further level of regular and irregular accents superimposed (e.g., 5 over 3 accented in
4). HoronertoNs IN Rurruu YoL. z, ADvANCED Rnyrunas ron InapnovrsarroN deals
extensively with polyrhythms and their application in improvisation and composition-
nrrnrrÈrof *r,-,^.
CHeprsR r
l**^r-r^ *rm,,vo--t
Chaptcr 1
Wrrx Prrcx
Wrx Resrs
Wrx Prrcx
Wlrx Svr.tcopATtoN
Wrrx Prrcx
flpr*xÈusrrc"rr*.# I
@t
Wrx SvNcopATloN
Wrx Plrcx
In the following mixed phrasing etudes, the circled number refers to the rhythmic
grouping. For examplg ù9 etude begins with Bùs phrased in 3 (one measure cycle).
Measure two starts with 8fts phrased in 4 (two measure cycle). Throughout the etudes
in the book, some of the cycles are not completed and rests are randomly interspersed
in order to begin a rhythmic grouping on a different beat.
I l3.o*r,o, rN Rayruuvot. r
Chqta t
R*nrrcÈasrc-o-r^^# I
A@rt
Srnnrrt.tc oN Bean z
Practice starting this rhythmic grouping on all 8ùs subdivisions in 4/4 ttme.
Wrrm Accerurs
Wrx PlrcH
Wrrx Resrs
Wrrx Prrcx
f,rnnrrcA*rsrre",,.*,. # I
Wrrx PanrraL SueorvlstoN axo Rpsrs
Wtrx AcceNrs
Wrrx Resrs
lA*^r-rr^ l*r,'xvo--t
Chapter 2
errne'.* ,,-,o'J,l
D) Mixed phrasing of gtt, Notes in 4/a
o o
| §,"*r., rN Rumtuvor t
@taz
@c
@o
Wrrx Resrs
Wrrx Prrcx
Wrrx Resrs
WrrH Prrcx
Wrrx Prrcx
R'nmpnm*.*,.#I
A@n3
Wrn Resrs
Wrrx Prrcn
Wrrs Prrcx
lzz
I tnon^ron rN R:'mnnVot. t
Chapter 3
Wrx Resrs
Wrx Plrcn
Wrrx Svr.rcopATtoN
Wrrx Plrcx
23I
E) Mixed Phrasing of gh Notes in 5/a
o c
lz+
CHarrrn 4
13'
3
'3' '31
Wrx Prrcx
3 r-3 r--3----r r_3____r
-r
Wrx AccrNrs
ernreDrmrl:srnur
Clwptel 4
Wrx Resrs
Wlrx Resrs
f.- 3 __ì
13l
IHrr.^r--*Rnmrr vor- r
Chapter 4
I 3 ll 3 |
| 3 rL_3
'3'13l r
Wrrx Plrcx
Wrrx Resrs
r 3 | L_3 rt 3 | 3 rr 3
' 3 'r 3 | L_3
|
" 3
r
'
Wlrx Prrcs
33
Wrs Prrcx
È1
f...-3__ì
{=ì , \ f-.- 3
l'-- ?
È, f\3-*ì r__3_*ì
o
13' 13' 13l 13l
'31 '3'
c
13' 13' , 3 r,
'31 3 '
,3rt3, | l3'
3 't 3 |
13
17
13l lt
'3rt3l ' 3 3 | | 3 rt 3 '
| 3 3 | rt
't
I
3 3 '
13l
f A*^r** R,,''tnvq-t
@ra
o, @,
o,
r..-3*_ì
I...-3
t....-.i- @,
"l-3-
I-3_ r....-3--ì
tsrnxf,rm*"-,."3 I
Cuanrnn 5
l3ll3ll3tt3'
'3'2t
13l
'31
13,'31
'31
Punase Bscrr.rr.lrNc oN Bear z
13l 13'
I
i*?.o*.,o, ,, Ruyrnu vot. t
@as
3"-.- L-.
J<
Wlrx Resrs
| 3 r' 3 3 3
' ' 't '
WrrH Accetrs
RmryAre*"-r*".3l
ch@ts
@
f-----------:-f
13l
'3' '3,13'
' 3 ,r 3 ,
' 3 r, 3 ,
13,r3-J
o
13t
'3' '3' 13l
'3,
13t
,3,
'3,
13
313'
'3, '3, '3,
lzz
Exrronenorv w Runuu Vot. t
I
Chapter 5
3 ' 3 ll 3 ll 3 ,r | r, ,,
3 ' 3 3 3 rr 3 ,
@, o,
,oO
331
Chapter 5
Wrn Prcn
i-. n-, .1 -tn \. J
c
L-3 --J L-3 t l--3t13'
lzz
I Exno*nno.r w Rn"rlmVoc t
@s
o 3 r.-3 __ì
' r**ì
l\3
@
f-..\
r-3 --r r-3-- r-3---r r-3--r r-3-__
| *o*r,or,, Ruwuuvot t
Cuaprpn 6
Wrx Rrsrs
Wtrx Prrcx
' 3 't 3 |
'31
| 3 3 |
't
.*l
-
1
Clra?to 6
13l | lt
3 3 |
13l
tl
L-3 3 '
3J3 | 3 tt 3 '
Wlrx Plrcx
3 F\2 --l r--r
.3 131
13'
r-3--r I.-3-ì
r-3 ---r I-- r
5 '-ì r-.r
| 3 lt 3 r
| 3 rt 3 13l
' 13'
313 13l | 3 3
't |
o
13,t3, 13l 13l 13l 13'
@, N:-
-1- \,
@,
@,
f\à
'\ "-r
o, @,
371
CIIAPTER 7
Wlrn prrcs
Wrru Resrs
Wrrx Resrs
Wrrx Prrcx
Wrn SytcopATtoN
Wrrx Prrcx
RqruAre*-*..*l
7
Wrx AccrNrs
Wrx Prrcx
Wrrx SyNcopATroN
Wrrx Accexrs
Wrx Prrcs
Rxv'rrry-*re-"-^.#, I
c) l dh Notes phrased in, 6 in 3/a (2 Measure cycle)
Wrrx Acc:Nrs
Wru SyNcopATtoN
lfl*^r,*r,, p,,',,,v,.-t
Chapter 7
Wtrx AcceNrs
Wrn Prcx
411
E) Mixed phrasing of l dh Notes in 3/a
+rl
Cnaprrn 8
Wrrx Accsrurs
Wrrx Resrs
Wrrx Plrcx
Wrrx Plrcx
lu
I Eo.o*rro" rn Rnmtn Vot t
@rs
B) l dh Notus phrased in s in 4/4 (s Measure cycle)
Wrrn AcceNrs
rli
Wrrx Resrs
Wlrx Prrcx
+sl
Chapter I
Wrrx Accexrs
WrrH Resrs
Wrrx Prrcx
Wrrn Prrcx
Wrrx Resrs
Wrx Prrcx
Chapter 8
471
E) Mixed Phrasing of 16th Notes in 4/a with Pitch (no Rests)
.il
Cnerrrun 9
Wrrx Accerurs
Wrrx Resrs
Wrru Prrcx
tl
L_t
Wrrx Prrcs
I *,oor,o*,* R*rm-uvq-t