Advanced - Cyclical Rhythms Exercise

	  		

Cyclical Drumming Patterns:

This is a very simple concept, but can be very difficult to execute practically.
This is a good exercise for seperating the right and left hands from following each others patterns over the toms and the rest of the kit.

The concept is this: You play a simple RLRLRLRLRLRL pattern (single stroke roll). You then make one hand hit a different number of peices of the kit than the other hand.

An EXAMPLE to clarify: Your left hand will cycle through the Snare Drum and the 1st tom, and your right will cycle through the floor tom, the ride cymbal and the 2nd tom.

This example is of a 2 strike pattern coupled with a 3 strike pattern. And looks like this:

{I HAVE REARRANGED THE TAB LAYOUT 2 MAKE THE PATTERN EASIER 2 SEE}

   |R L R L R L R L R L R L |R L R L R L R L R L R L |
SD |--x-------x-------x-----|--x-------x-------x-----| {Left Hand}
tt |------x-------x-------x-|------x-------x-------x-|

mt |--------x-----------x---|--------x-----------x---|
RC |----x-----------x-------|----x-----------x-------| {Right Hand}
Ft |x-----------x-----------|x-----------x-----------|

You will find while playing this that your hands do not follow each other, and that their movement patterns are out of synch. This is a good thing. Continue playing this pattern until it feels natural, start slowly then speed up. You must ensure that you beat in even and well timed strokes.

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So much for the easy stuff, time for the real challenge (a 3 against 4 strike pattern). This will be hard at first, and will probobly take a long time to get right.

Same idea as the 2 against 3, just more hits (and more frustration).

For this pattern the left hand will hit the snare, 1st tom, crash and hihat (in that order), get used to this pattern and make sure you can play it without thinking.

The right hand will play the same pattern as before (Floor tom, ride, 2nd tom). repeat this pattern over and over again until it is automatic.

Once you are happy with the 2 separate patterns you can put them together. The result will look like this:

{I HAVE REARRANGED THE TAB LAYOUT 2 MAKE THE PATTERN EASIER 2 SEE}

   |R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L |
HH |--------------x---------------x---------------x-|
CC |----------x---------------x---------------x-----|
tt |------x---------------x---------------x---------| {Left Hand}
SD |--x---------------x---------------x-------------|

mt |--------x-----------x-----------x-----------x---|
RC |----x-----------x-----------x-----------x-------| {Right Hand}
Ft |x-----------x-----------x-----------x-----------|

For a cool drum solo you can work out your own patterns. e.g
Left Hand: Snare Drum, Hihat, 1st tom.
Right Hand: Floor tom, ride, 1st tom, 1st tom (the duplication of  the 1st tom is correct).

Notes on adding BASS DRUM:
You can do absolutely anything you want with your bass drum as long as it is in time. Try to experiment with different intervals between bass drum hit, i.e on every 2nd, 3rd or 4th strike of the hands.