Syncopated, or beat shifted, 4 : 3 type Polyrhythms or Cross Rhythms

These are based on a technique from African Drumming. When you play a polyrhythm such as say 4:3, you can shift the rhythms so that the two rhythms meet each other at different places in the measure, not just at the measure beat. This creates a syncopated effect - a feeling that you are playing "off the beat".

These videos explore that idea further, also using an idea from Eastern European music to emphasize e.g. 8 beats as 3 + 2 + 3. You might also like these same rhythms as harmonic polyrhythms

Who are these rhythms for?

Polyrhythms are used in many cultures and areas of music. These videos explore ideas from African Drumming and Eastern European music. See Polyrhythms - Usage and History (Wikipedia)

4:3 polyrhythm with the 4 and 3 played in all possible positions

Syncopated Polyrhythm 4:3 - each part is shifted by half a beat. The two rhythms never coincide

Syncopated Polyrhythmic 4:3 - each rhythm shifted by half a beat, original 4:3 played quietly

Synocpated 5:3 with the 5 and 3 played in all possible positions

Syncopated 8:5 polyrhythm accented as 3+2+3 : 3+2

Syncopated 8:5 polyrhythm accented as 3+2+3 : 3+2 - with more emphasis on the 3 + 2 + 3

Syncopated 13:5 polyrhythm as 3+2+3+3+2: 3+2

Syncopated harmonic polyrhythm 13 : 5 as 3+2+3+3+2 : 3+2

Play list of all the rhythms

On youtube (lets you start at any of the videos in the list)

Use these videos as a resource

You can use any of these videos as a resource for your own website or wikis, or make more of them yourself - see Add videos like these to your own site

Play these rhythms and animations at any tempo with Bounce Metronome

You can use Bounce Metronome Pro to practise these and many more rhythms at any tempo, including changing tempo.

For these rhythms see the Polyrhythms feature.