Multilayer Weak-Beat-Precedence Polyrhythm

Polyrhythm is interesting, but it has often been treated as difficult and lacking in auditory appeal. Up to now, polyrhythm practice has been carried out on the basis of head-alignment rhythm recognition in accordance with the rules of conventional music theory. As a result, it failed to reproduce the groove originally inherent in rhythm. In this way, polyrhythm has long received the mistaken evaluation that it is “complex and interesting, but not very appealing to the ear.” To solve this problem, I took the viewpoint of the multilayered weak-beat-axis theory and applied it to methods of constructing polyrhythm, comprehensively reconstructing polyrhythm from that perspective.

In this chapter, I present the theory and methods for restoring rhythm’s original groove to polyrhythm.

Introduction

What Is Da-Bi-Di-Ba Count?

Da-Bi-Di-Ba Count is a method for mastering the various rhythms performed in swing by assigning easy-to-understand syllables such as da, ba, di, and bi to the roles of each note in the rhythm pattern called 4/4 swing, commonly known as four-beat swing.

First we learn the basic swing rhythm in 4/4, and after that we move on to practicing polyrhythm, odd meter, and multiple meter.

Polyrhythm is a rhythm in which one obtains the effect of multiple tempos sounding simultaneously by striking phrases of different lengths within the same tuplet span. Polyrhythm is interesting because completely different rhythms arise depending on the numbers that constitute the rhythm.Below, we will practice in order the various polyrhythms built on a four-note swing to which the pronunciation da-bi-di-ba has been assigned.

The Da-Bi-Di-Ba Four-Note Base Rhythm and Four-Note Swing

4/4 swing contains eight notes.

１		２		３		４
On	Off	On	Off	On	Off	On	Off

Swing is constructed by repeating a four-note pattern twice. So we assign the following four syllables to the notes.

１		２		３		４
da	bi	di	ba	da	bi	di	ba

This means that we have assigned the following syllables to the functions of the notes in swing.

On-beat of Beats 1 and 3	da
Offbeat of Beats 1 and 3	bi
On-beat of Beats 2 and 4	di
Offbeat of Beats 2 and 4	ba

This is the foundation for analyzing swing. In practice, it simply means performing while chanting da-bi-di-ba, da-bi-di-ba, but it helps one understand swing very effectively.

If you actually chant this da-bi-di-ba along with real music, it should soon begin to sound like ba-da-bi-di. If you keep chanting further, it should start to sound like bi-di-ba-da. In this way, the fact that the order of the syllables begins to be heard as rotating is the basis of swing.

This da-bi-di-ba contains four sounds, but there are also patterns containing three sounds, five sounds, and other numbers of sounds. Here I will call the four-sound da-bi-di-ba specifically the four-note base rhythm.

How Da-Bi-Di-Ba Is Notated

From here on, I will explain various patterns made by combining the pronunciation da-bi-di-ba. If these pronunciations are written in katakana, the character counts become irregular and consume too much page space, so from this point onward pronunciations such as da-bi-di-ba will be written in roman letters.

Da-Bi-Di-Ba

da bi di ba

Pronunciation Changes in Da-Bi-Di-Ba

The basic pronunciation of da bi di ba is da-bi-di-ba. As one improves, however, it becomes necessary to pronounce it faster, so in practice the pronunciation of da-bi-di-ba often shifts toward something like da-be-de-ba or la-be-re-ba.

The rules of these pronunciation changes are as follows.

1. For bi and di, pronunciation becomes smoother if bi is shifted toward be and di toward de. In that case, da-bi-di-ba approaches da-be-de-ba.
2. When pronouncing weakly, it becomes smoother if da shifts toward ra and de toward re. Under the previously mentioned change, de may also shift toward ri, which makes pronunciation still smoother. In that case, da-be-de-ba approaches la-bi-ri-ba.

da	da / ra
bi	bi / be
di	di / de / re / ri
ba	ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Four-Note Base Rhythm

In the four-note base rhythm, we assign the following syllables to the four sounds.

1. da
2. bi
3. di
4. ba

Practice

Try chanting da bi di ba while clapping on the on-beats of Beats 2 and 4.

１		２		３		４
da	bi	di	ba	da	bi	di	ba

Rotations of the Four-Note Base Rhythm

Part of what gives swing its thrilling feel is that the starting sound rotates, so a different sound begins to be heard as the first sound. To become accustomed to that rotation, let us enumerate all of the rotation patterns mathematically and memorize them.

1st Rotation	da bi di ba
2nd Rotation	ba da bi di
3rd Rotation	di ba da bi
4th Rotation	bi di ba da

Practice

While chanting da bi di ba along with music, clap on the on-beats of Beats 2 and 4. At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1, while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da bi di. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice the 3rd Rotation di ba da bi and the 4th Rotation bi di ba da as well.

Fundamentals of the Four-Note Base Rhythm

Set the metronome to Beats 2 and 4 and sing Da-Bi-Di-Ba as follows. There are two points to keep in mind.

• Value the sensation that bi comes in before di, and that ba comes in before da.
• Grasp the sensation that Beat 1 comes last.１２３４・１２３４・・・rather than２３４１・２３４１・・・

It is not necessary to practice the drills below in order from 1 onward. Different people find different drills easy or difficult. If a certain drill feels difficult, skip it and move on to the next drill, practicing first the drills you can do. It is enough if in the end you complete all of them.

Drill 1

１		２		３		４
da	bi	di	ba	da	bi	di	ba

Drill 2

１		２		３		４
da		di		da		di

Drill 3

１		２		３		４
da				da

Drill 4

１		２		３		４
		di				di

Drill 5

１		２		３		４
da	bi			da	bi

Drill 6

１		２		３		４
		di	ba			di	ba

Drill 7

１		２		３		４
da			ba	da			ba

Drill 8

１		２		３		４
	bi	di			bi	di

Drill 9

１		２		３		４
	bi		ba		bi		ba

Drill 10

１		２		３		４
			ba				ba

Drill 11

１		２		３		４
	bi				bi

Drill 12

１		２		３		４
da	bi	di		da	bi	di

Drill 13

１		２		３		４
da		di	ba	da		di	ba

Drill 14

１		２		３		４
da	bi		ba	da	bi		ba

Drill 15

１		２		３		４
	bi	di	ba		bi	di	ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di

ba da bi

di ba da

bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba da

bi di ba da bi

di ba da bi di

ba da bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba / da bi di	ba da bi di / ba da bi
di ba da bi / di ba da	bi di ba da / bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Nine-Note 5-4 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba da / bi di ba da	bi di ba da bi / di ba da bi
di ba da bi di / ba da bi di	ba da bi di ba / da bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Nine-Note 3-3-3 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di / ba da bi / di ba da	bi di ba / da bi di / ba da bi
di ba da / bi di ba / da bi di	ba da bi / di ba da / bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Eleven-Note 4-4-3 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da bi di	ba da bi di / ba da bi di / ba da bi
di ba da bi / di ba da bi / di ba da	bi di ba da / bi di ba da / bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Eleven-Note 5-3-3 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba da / bi di ba / da bi di	ba da bi di ba / da bi di / ba da bi
di ba da bi di / ba da bi / di ba da	bi di ba da bi / di ba da / bi di ba

Four-Note Base Rhythm: Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da bi di

ba da bi di / ba da bi di / ba da bi di / ba da bi

di ba da bi / di ba da bi / di ba da bi / di ba da

bi di ba da / bi di ba da / bi di ba da / bi di ba

Six-Note Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Six-Note Base Rhythm

In the six-note base rhythm, we assign the following syllables to the six sounds.

1. da
2. li
3. bi
4. di
5. la
6. ba

Practice

Try chanting da li bi di la ba along with music. At the same time, clap on the on-beats of Beats 2 and 4.

１			２			３			４
da	li	bi	di	la	da	da	li	bi	di	la	ba

Rotations of the Six-Note Base Rhythm

Part of what gives swing its thrilling feel is that the starting sound rotates, so a different sound begins to be heard as the first sound. To become accustomed to that rotation, let us enumerate all of the rotation patterns mathematically and memorize them.

1st Rotation	da li bi di la ba
2nd Rotation	ba da li bi di la
3rd Rotation	la ba da li bi di
4th Rotation	di la ba da li bi
5th Rotation	bi di la ba da li
6th Rotation	li bi di la ba da

Practice

While chanting da li bi di la ba along with music, clap on the on-beats of Beat 2 (di) and Beat 4 (di). At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1 while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da li bi di la. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice the 3rd Rotation la ba da li bi di, the 4th Rotation di la ba da li bi, and the 5th Rotation bi di la ba da li. The final 6th Rotation li bi di la ba da is difficult, but it is the most important pattern, so practice it thoroughly.

Fundamentals of the Six-Note Base Rhythm

Set the metronome to Beats 2 and 4 and sing the following pattern. There are three points to keep in mind.

• Value the sensation that li comes in before bi, and bi before di.
• Value the sensation that la comes in before ba, and ba before da.
• Grasp the sensation that Beat 1 comes last.１２３４・１２３４・・・rather than２３４１・２３４１・・・

１			２			３			４
da	li	bi	di	la	da	da	li	bi	di	la	ba

How to Construct Base Rhythms

In the following sections, I explain base rhythms other than the four-note and six-note types. Here I explain how to construct the base rhythms needed when dealing with irregular base rhythms such as the three-note and five-note types. In other words, I explain the rule for assigning syllables such as da bi di ba.

Standard Base-Rhythm Pronunciation

The rule is as follows.

• First sound: da
• Second sound: la (when the next vowel is A) / li (when the next vowel is I)
• Last sound: ba
• For the rest, align the last sound to ba and assign da bi di ba backward from the end

Examples:

Three notes	da la ba
Four notes	da bi / di ba
Five notes	da li / bi di ba
Six notes	da la / da bi di ba
Seven notes	da la / ba / da bi di ba
Eight notes	da li / di ba / da bi di ba
Nine notes	da li / bi di ba / da bi di ba

Here I call this assignment method standard base-rhythm pronunciation.

Compound Base Rhythms

In practice, base rhythms are generally represented as combinations of multiple base rhythms. Here I call this a compound base rhythm. For example, since eight notes are simply two repetitions of the four-note base rhythm, it is usually easier to read them as da bi di ba / da bi di ba rather than da li di ba da bi di ba.

When a single base rhythm has multiple ways of being read in this way, I indicate the grouping method by listing numbers after the note-count name.

ExamplesEight-note 4-4 base rhythm (da bi di ba / da bi di ba)Nine-note 5-4 base rhythm (da li bi di ba / da bi di ba)Nine-note 3-3-3 base rhythm (da la ba / da la ba / da la ba)

Three-Note Base Rhythm

Up to this point, we have looked at polyrhythms built on the basic rhythm pattern of swing, which is composed of four sounds. Here, let us turn to polyrhythms built on a rhythm pattern composed of three sounds.

Pronunciation of the Three-Note Base Rhythm

Here we assign the following syllables to the three sounds.

1. da
2. la
3. ba

Practice

Try chanting da la ba along with music.

Rotations of the Three-Note Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da la ba
2nd Rotation	ba da la
3rd Rotation	la ba da

Practice

Chant da la ba along with music. At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1 while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da la. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice the 3rd Rotation la ba da as well.

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Four-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da

la ba da la

ba da la ba

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Eight-Note Grouping

If one divides the eight eighth notes in a measure into groups of three, the result is a repeating pattern that spans three measures. Since songs normally proceed in four-measure units, the full pattern returns after twelve measures. Here I show the three-measure pattern, so please practice it for twelve measures on your own.

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da / la ba da la

ba da la ba / da la ba da

la ba da la / ba da la ba

Try reading this while imagining it as eighth notes and clapping on Beats 2 and 4.

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Sixteen-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da la ba da li / ba da la ba da la ba da

la ba da la ba da la ba / da la ba da la ba da la

ba da la ba da la ba da / la ba da la ba da la ba

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da li

ba da la ba da

la ba da la ba

Practice

1. Clap every five sounds.
2. Step every five sounds and clap on da.
3. Step every five sounds and clap on ba.

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Ten-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da la / ba da la ba da

la ba da la ba / da la ba da la

ba da la ba da / la ba da la ba

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da la ba da

la ba da la ba da li

ba da la ba da la ba

Practice

1. Clap every seven sounds.
2. Step every seven sounds and clap on da.
3. Step every seven sounds and clap on ba.

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Fourteen-Note Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da la ba da / la ba da la ba da la

ba da la ba da la ba / da la ba da la ba da

la ba da la ba da la / ba da la ba da la ba

Three-Note Base Rhythm: Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Grouping

Chant the following pattern along with music.

da la ba da / la ba da la / ba da la ba / da la ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Five-Note Base Rhythm

Here we assign the following syllables to the five sounds.

1. da
2. li
3. bi
4. di
5. ba

Practice

Try chanting da li bi di ba along with music.

Rotations of the Five-Note Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da li bi di ba
2nd Rotation	ba da li bi di
3rd Rotation	di ba da li bi
4th Rotation	bi di ba da li
5th Rotation	li bi di ba da

Practice

Chant da li bi di ba along with music. At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1 while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da li bi di. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice the 3rd Rotation di ba da li bi and the 4th Rotation bi di ba da li as well. The final 5th Rotation li bi di ba da is difficult, so work at it carefully.

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Four-Note Grouping

da li bi di

ba da li bi

di ba da li

bi di ba da

li bi di ba

Practice

1. Clap every four sounds.
2. Step every four sounds and clap on da.
3. Step every four sounds and clap on ba.

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Eight-Note Grouping

da li bi di / ba da li bi

di ba da li / bi di ba da

li bi di ba / da li bi di

ba da li bi / di ba da li

bi di ba da / li bi di ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

da li bi

di ba da

li bi di

ba da li

bi di ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Six-Note Grouping

da li bi / di ba da

li bi di / ba da li

bi di ba / da li bi

di ba da / li bi di

ba da li / bi di ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

da li bi di ba da li

bi di ba da li bi di

ba da li bi di ba da

li bi di ba da li bi

di ba da li bi di ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Fourteen-Note Grouping

da li bi di ba da li / bi di ba da li bi di

ba da li bi di ba da / li bi di ba da li bi

di ba da li bi di ba / da li bi di ba da li

bi di ba da li bi di / ba da li bi di ba da

li bi di ba da li bi / di ba da li bi di ba

Five-Note Base Rhythm: Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Grouping

da li bi di

ba da li bi

di ba da li

bi di ba

Practice

This pattern is short and simple, but it is important, so practice it well.

1. Clap on the first sound of each box.
2. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on da.
3. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on ba.

Seven-Note Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Seven-Note Base Rhythm

Here we assign the following syllables to the seven sounds.

1. da
2. la
3. ba
4. da
5. bi
6. di
7. ba

Practice

Try chanting da la ba da bi di ba along with music.

Rotations of the Seven-Note Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da la ba da bi di ba
2nd Rotation	ba da la ba da bi di
3rd Rotation	di ba da la ba da bi
4th Rotation	bi di ba da la ba da
5th Rotation	da bi di ba da la ba
6th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da la
7th Rotation	la ba da bi di ba da

Practice

Chant da la ba da bi di ba along with music. At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1 while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da la ba da bi di. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice the 3rd Rotation di ba da la ba da bi, the 4th Rotation bi di ba da la ba da, the 5th Rotation da bi di ba da la ba, and the 6th Rotation ba da bi di ba da la as well. The final 7th Rotation la ba da bi di ba da is difficult, so work at it carefully.

Seven-Note Base Rhythm: Four-Note Grouping

da la ba da

bi di ba da

la ba da bi

di ba da la

ba da bi di

ba da la ba

da bi di ba

Practice

1. Clap on the first sound of each box.
2. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first da.
3. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first ba.

Seven-Note Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

da la ba

da bi di

ba da la

ba da bi

di ba da

la ba da

bi di ba

Practice

1. Clap on the first sound of each box.
2. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first da.
3. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first ba.

Seven-Note Base Rhythm: Six-Note 3-3 Grouping

da la ba / da bi di

ba da la / ba da bi

di ba da / la ba da

bi di ba / da la ba

da bi di / ba da la

ba da bi / di ba da

la ba da / bi di ba

Seven-Note Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

da la ba da bi

di ba da la ba

da bi di ba da

la ba da bi di

ba da la ba da

bi di ba da la

ba da bi di ba

Practice

1. Clap on the first sound of each box.
2. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first da.
3. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on the first ba.

Seven-Note Base Rhythm: Ten-Note 5-5 Grouping

da la ba da bi / di ba da la ba

da bi di ba da / la ba da bi di

ba da la ba da / bi di ba da la

ba da bi di ba / da la ba da bi

di ba da la ba / da bi di ba da

la ba da bi di / ba da la ba da

bi di ba da la / ba da bi di ba

Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm

We assign the following syllables to the nine sounds.

da li bi di ba da bi di ba

Reference: Ravi Coltrane’s 26-2 (5+4 meter)

Rotations of the Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da li bi di ba da bi di ba
2nd Rotation	ba da li bi di ba da bi di
3rd Rotation	di ba da li bi di ba da bi
4th Rotation	bi di ba da li bi di ba da
5th Rotation	da bi di ba da li bi di ba
6th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da li bi di
7th Rotation	di ba da bi di ba da li bi
8th Rotation	bi di ba da bi di ba da li
9th Rotation	li bi di ba da bi di ba da

Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

da li bi / di ba da / bi di ba

Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm: Four-Note Grouping

da li bi di

ba da bi di

ba da li bi

di ba da bi

di ba da li

bi di ba da

bi di ba da

li bi di ba

da bi di ba

Nine-Note 5-4 Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

da li bi di ba

da bi di ba da

li bi di ba da

bi di ba da li

bi di ba da bi

di ba da li bi

di ba da bi di

ba da li bi di

ba da bi di ba

Eleven-Note Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Eleven-Note Base Rhythm

Here we assign the following syllables to the eleven sounds.

da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba

Practice

Try chanting da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba along with music.

Rotations of the Eleven-Note Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba
2nd Rotation	ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di
3rd Rotation	di ba da li ba da bi di ba da bi
4th Rotation	bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba da
5th Rotation	da bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba
6th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da la ba da bi di
7th Rotation	di ba da bi di ba da li ba da bi
8th Rotation	bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba da
9th Rotation	da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba
10th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da li
11th Rotation	la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da

Practice

Chant da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba along with music. At that time, keep chanting with da aligned to the on-beat of Beat 1 while continuing until ba begins to be heard as the first sound, that is, until it starts sounding like ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di. This is the 2nd Rotation. In the same way, practice everything from the 3rd Rotation through the 11th Rotation as well. The final 11th Rotation is difficult, so work at it carefully.

Eleven-Note Base Rhythm: Four-Note Grouping

da la ba da	bi di ba da	bi di ba da	la ba da bi
di ba da bi	di ba da li	ba da bi di	ba da bi di
ba da la ba	da bi di ba	da bi di ba

1. Clap on the first sound of each box.
2. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on da.
3. Step on the first sound of each box and clap on ba.

Eleven-Note Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

da la ba	da bi di	ba da bi	di ba da
la ba da	bi di ba	da bi di	ba da li
ba da bi	di ba da	bi di ba

Eleven-Note Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

da la ba da bi	di ba da bi di	ba da la ba da	bi di ba da bi
di ba da la ba	da bi di ba da	bi di ba da li	ba da bi di ba
da bi di ba da	la ba da bi di	ba da bi di ba

Eleven-Note Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

da la ba da bi di ba	da bi di ba da la ba	da bi di ba da bi di	ba da la ba da bi di
ba da bi di ba da li	ba da bi di ba da bi	di ba da la ba da bi	di ba da bi di ba da
la ba da bi di ba da	bi di ba da la ba da	bi di ba da bi di ba

Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Base Rhythm

Pronunciation of the Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Base Rhythm

We assign the following syllables to the fifteen sounds.

da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba

Rotations of the Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Base Rhythm

1st Rotation	da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba
2nd Rotation	ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da li
3rd Rotation	la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da
4th Rotation	da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba
5th Rotation	ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di
6th Rotation	di ba da li ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da bi
7th Rotation	bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da
8th Rotation	da bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di ba
9th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba da bi di
10th Rotation	di ba da bi di ba da li ba da bi di ba da bi
11th Rotation	bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba da
12th Rotation	da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba da bi di ba
13th Rotation	ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba da bi di
14th Rotation	di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da li ba da bi
15th Rotation	bi di ba da bi di ba da bi di ba da la ba da

Note:Because the fifteen-note 4-4-4-3 base rhythm is not premised on tail alignment, there may be little point in memorizing its rotations.

Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Base Rhythm: Five-Note Grouping

da bi di ba da

bi di ba da bi

di ba da la ba

Fifteen-Note 4-4-4-3 Base Rhythm: Three-Note Grouping

da bi di

ba da bi

di ba da

bi di ba

da la ba

Twenty-One-Note Base Rhythms

Twenty-One-Note 5-5-5-3-3 Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

Define the base rhythm as follows.

da li bi di ba / da li bi di ba / da li bi di ba / da la ba / da la ba

Then divide it into seven-note groups as follows.

da li bi di ba da li / bi di ba da li bi di / ba da la ba da la ba

Twenty-One-Note 4-4-4-4-5 Base Rhythm: Seven-Note Grouping

Define the base rhythm as follows.

da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da bi di ba / da li bi di ba

Then divide it into seven-note groups as follows.

da bi di ba da bi di / ba da bi di ba da bi / di ba da li bi de ba

Multiple Meter, Meter Switching, and Groove Maintenance

How to Perform Multiple Meter

Multiple meter means performing multiple meters simultaneously.

If one performs a melody in m meter while a piece in n meter is being played, multiple meter is produced. At that time, the performer of the m-meter melody can realize it by listening to the n-meter melody while performing m tuplets over n beats.

At this time, there is a technique of dividing tuplets that split one beat into m equal parts into n groupings. For example, if one is playing in 4/4 and performs a polyrhythm in which triplets are grouped four at a time, that becomes a rhythm with the same length as one beat of 3/4.

How to Switch Meter

If, in that state, one continues performing only the 3/4 rhythm and stops performing the 4/4 rhythm, the music switches directly into 3/4. This is meter switching.

Foot Printsuses meter switching between the most basic case of 3/4 and 4/4.

In recent years, it has become common to switch not only between 3/4 and 4/4, but also between odd meters such as 5/4 and 7/4. For switching among odd meters, refer to the following performance.

Reference: Kenny Werner’s All the Things You Are

In this performance, switching is carried out between 5/4 and 7/4.

Groove Maintenance

The multiple-meter performance method described above assumes that performance is always based on Beat 1, that is, the on-beat. The problem with this method is that it is incompatible with styles of swing performance that take Beats 2 and 4, the offbeats, as the basis, while playing Beats 1 and 3 weakly, or not playing them at all, or intentionally displacing them. In other words, one cannot perform multiple meter and swing at the same time by this method alone. Here I call the technique that solves this problem groove maintenance.

The Final-Beat Reference Method

The Final-Beat Reference Method is a groove-maintenance method that I devised myself around 2018.

Normally, one performs multiple meter by aligning the opening beats of the multiple meters.

In the figure above, the upper staff is 4/4 and the lower staff is 5/4. The Final-Beat Reference Method changes this so that the tuplets are performed by aligning the final beats as the reference.

In this way, the 4th beat of 4/4 and the 5th beat of 5/4 are aligned and performed together. If one does this, Beat 1 no longer coincides with all the beats of the 5/4 side. But because the final beat in 4/4 and the final beat in 5/4 coincide, it becomes easier to align the timing of the anacrusis performed toward the next measure.

Maintaining continuous anacrusis is important for performing stable groove, but in the previously described opening-beat-based method, the positions of the final beats do not coincide, so groove cannot be maintained. The Final-Beat Reference Method, however, always makes the final beats coincide no matter which meters are superimposed, so it becomes possible to maintain groove in any multiple-meter performance.

The timing of the Final-Beat Reference Method cannot be written precisely in conventional notation. When performing it automatically in a sequencer or similar tool, it seems best to notate it shifted by one beat. One inputs the actual final beat, Beat 4 in 4/4 or Beat 5 in 5/4, as if it were Beat 1, and then enters the tuplets, such as five notes over four beats or seven notes over four beats.

Conclusion

How was it? Many different polyrhythms have appeared. These are, after all, techniques for producing better groove. If one becomes too absorbed in technique and forgets to groove, the whole point is lost.

Do not forget to groove.

Let us all groove intensely together.

Atsushi Oka

Table of contents

• Offbeat Count Theory
  • Introduction
  • What Are the Four Principles of Groove
  • Why Are Japanese People Tatenori
  • Which Comes First, the Strong Beat or the Weak Beat
  • Phonorhythmatology
  • A Letter to Mora-Timed Language Speakers
  • Split Beat (Schizorhythmos) and Isolated Beat (Solirhythmos)
  • What Is Metre
  • Multi-Layered Weak-Beat-Oriented Rhythm
  • Multidimensional Division Spaces
  • Rhythm More Important Than Pronunciation
  • The World Is Made of 3⁻ⁿ Metres
  • 3⁻ⁿ Groove and 2⁻ⁿ Groove
  • Distributed Groove Theory
  • Weak-Beat Geocentrism and Strong-Beat Heliocentrism
  • Introduction to Offbeat Count
  • Rhythmochronic Competence and Sense of Rhythm
  • Master English Listening with Offbeat Count
  • Etudes for Mora-Timed Language Speakers
  • Proper English Pronunciation
  • Correct Pronunciation of Offbeat Count
  • Multilayer Weak-Beat-Precedence Polyrhythm
  • The Elements That Shape Rhythmic Nuance
  • The Mechanism by Which Tatenori Arises
  • Tatenori and the Perception of Movement
  • The Psychological Problems Caused by Tatenori