PolyRhythm Notations & Studies || A Reference Book || 2024 Edition

This reference book demonstrates two notations of each selected polyrhythmic ratio from both perspectives and a third set of notations showing a common subdivision. Subdivisions are accented to demonstrate where one half of the ratio lies against the other. I use the term perspective because a lot of times when we encounter a polyrhythm it is the context of an established meter or subdivision feel. Meaning you might be playing something in 3 and then play 5 over that. Or the subdivision feel might be 3’s (triplets) and you need to change the subdivision to something else. I started this collection of notated polyrhythms in 2011 as part of something I later released publicly called Rhythmic Ratio E-Book. At the time it included, in addition to polyrhythmic notations, mp3 play-alongs and ringtones for polyrhythmic ear training.

I’ve recently corrected some errors that persisted in these files and added more rhythms for this re-release. The original collection focused on 5's and 7's against 2-9 and 2-13 respectively. I’ve now added the most common polyrhythms 2:3 & 4:3 to beginning of the book, 11-13 to the 5’s group, and 3:8, 3:10, & 3:11 to the end of the book. I’ve done away with the audio files and replaced them with a polyrhythmic metronome that you can access for free on my website. It includes the ability to automate between up to 4 different rhythms and settings such as whether or not to play the common subdivision or one side of the polyrhythm. This is useful for working on transitions from one polyrhythm to another or for working on hearing or playing a polyrhythm by muting or unmuting the shared subdivision or one side of the ratio - particularly if the subdivision is an odd one in relation to the current meter perspective.