Polyrhythms

3 against 2

In the same span of time, one voice plays two even hits, the other three. They land together at the start, then cross.

The simplest way to understand it: split the cycle into six small beats, and count them out loud.

First tap it on a table: your left hand plays the “two” line, your right hand the “three” line.

On the guitar

Your thumb plays the bass (open A string) in two, your fingers play C (B string, 1^st fret) in three.

e|---------------------------------|
B|-1-1---1-1-1---1-1-1---1-1-1---1-|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
E|---------------------------------|

Listen to the high voice alone, then the bass alone, then both: your ear can flip from one to the other.

3 against 4

Same idea, over a cycle of twelve small beats: the bass plays every four, the treble every three.

e|-------------------------------------|
B|-1-1---1---1-1-1---1---1-1-1---1---1-|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------|
A|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
E|-------------------------------------|

In a solo

Play a three-note motif repeated in eighth notes over a bar of four beats: it starts at a different place in the bar each time, and only lands back on beat one after three bars. It’s a melodic polyrhythm, widely used in rock and jazz to build tension.

You’ve got it when…

• You tap 3 against 2 on a table, one hand per voice, without stopping
• You hold 3 against 2 on the guitar, bass with your thumb, with a metronome
• You play a three-note motif over a bar of four beats, knowing where it lands