To understand the theory about FIVES and how you can learn to play them and hear what they sound like I will explain briefly how I teach them to my students. Being a drum teacher, I explain from a drummers perspective - but the theory is easily adapted for guitarists (up- and downstrokes) or bassists (index and middle finger). You get the overall idea.
Starting with quintuplets (famous examples of fives appear in Chopin's sonata in C minor and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony) would be a good idea - count five hits per beat. Drummers have many alternative stickings for quintuplets, but let's settle for left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right. Use a metronome when you are practicing this and it's also a good thing to use your voice to really get it into your system. Try saying DA LA PI KO LA when practicing fives.
When you feel comfortable with quintuplets, we will move on to five against two. Use the same rlrlr lrlrl etc. and start to accent every other hit: RlRlR lRlRl So, all the hits with the right hand are accented! So, that's the basic 5 against 2 rhythm. When comfortable with this, only play the accents - and voila!
A bit trickier in character, 5 against 4 can take longer to learn. Let's return to the quintuplets again, using the same left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right as before. But this time we're accenting every other hit the right hand is doing, something like this: RlrlR lrlRl rlRlr lRlrl and there you have the rhythm-sound of 5 against 4! This is somewhat hard to hear in slower tempos. As soon as you can play this fluently, try only playing the accents.
Have fun practicing those FIVES and do not forget to surprise your drummer with your new knowledge!
Starting with quintuplets (famous examples of fives appear in Chopin's sonata in C minor and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony) would be a good idea - count five hits per beat. Drummers have many alternative stickings for quintuplets, but let's settle for left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right. Use a metronome when you are practicing this and it's also a good thing to use your voice to really get it into your system. Try saying DA LA PI KO LA when practicing fives.
When you feel comfortable with quintuplets, we will move on to five against two. Use the same rlrlr lrlrl etc. and start to accent every other hit: RlRlR lRlRl So, all the hits with the right hand are accented! So, that's the basic 5 against 2 rhythm. When comfortable with this, only play the accents - and voila!
A bit trickier in character, 5 against 4 can take longer to learn. Let's return to the quintuplets again, using the same left-right-left-right-left right-left-right-left-right as before. But this time we're accenting every other hit the right hand is doing, something like this: RlrlR lrlRl rlRlr lRlrl and there you have the rhythm-sound of 5 against 4! This is somewhat hard to hear in slower tempos. As soon as you can play this fluently, try only playing the accents.
Have fun practicing those FIVES and do not forget to surprise your drummer with your new knowledge!
About the Author:
Learn more about polyrhythms and drum loops. Stop by Magnus Brandell's site where you can find out all about polyrhythms and what you can do with them.
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