Lesson 3 Polyrhythms
Essential Questions
What are polyrhythms and how are they used in New Orleans Music?
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Understand and identify polyrhythms.
- Draw upon existing rhythmic patterns to create their own artistic work.
Materials Needed
- Computer or Tablet
- Media links (see below)
- Berklee PULSE Account
- Headphones
- Whiteboard
- Percussion instruments, non-pitched and pitched (or their current instrument)
- Soundtrap or other available DAW
- For information comparing DAWs, visit the PULSE DAW Chart
- Optional: MIDI controller
Media
- Videos
- Jon Batiste describes the New Orleans Sound (embedded below)
- Jalikunda African Drums at the Montserrat African Music Festival
- Getting Started with BEATMAKER
- Polyrhythm Exercises
- Polyrhythm Exercise 1 (Embedded below)
- Polyrhythm Exercise 2 (Embedded below)
Lesson 3: Polyrhythms
- Review the Bamboula/Tresillo, Habanera, and 3-2 Son Clave rhythms with students by clapping along with the music player or by playing the rhythms on pitched or unpitched percussion.
- Remind students that the rhythms they’ve been studying were brought to the United States through the African Diaspora. Explain that the African Diaspora is the movement of African people, whether voluntary through emigration or involuntary through enslavement, to locations throughout the world – largely the Americas.
- In the songs that they heard in the previous class, they heard the basic Bamboula/Tresillo rhythms and beats, but that wasn’t all they heard. More rhythms were played along with it.
- Watch the video of Jon Batiste talking about the New Orleans sound and demonstrating a clapping pattern (1:18).
- Ask students what they observed in the video.
- Were the rhythms similar to those they learned about in the previous class (Bamboula, Habanera, etc)?
- What do they think this would sound like in a performance context?
- Play the video of Jalikunda African Drums at the Montserrat African Music Festival (4:29). After watching this video:
- Ask students what they observed in the video.
- Did they hear one beat or rhythm that served as the foundation for all of the other rhythmic patterns? If yes, what was it?
- How did the performance change when different drum beats were added in? Did it make it more exciting or change the tone of the performance?
- Explain when rhythms with different beat subdivisions are layered on top of each other, this is called a polyrhythm – poly meaning more than one.
- A polyrhythm is when you hear two different meters playing at the same time. For example, you might hear a polyrhythm when one instrument sounds like it is playing notes in a triple meter (three beats per measure) while another instrument sounds like it is playing in a duple meter (two or four beats per measure).
- The rhythms they heard in the drum circles and other videos watched in this unit have a foundational beat or rhythm that is played by one or more percussive instruments. The other drums and percussion are playing alternating rhythmic patterns over this foundational rhythm.
- This practice of drum circles as seen in the video is prevalent in the African diaspora, and it is still practiced today in modern-day New Orleans music, which has contributed to and helped to develop what is referred to as the “New Orleans sound.”
- Demonstrate an example of a polyrhythm by asking students to clap along with the Bamboula/Tresillo beat from Polyrhythm Exercise 1. Ask them to continue clapping while you join in with the downbeat rhythm (rhythm 2) of this exercise.
- Once you conclude the demonstration, ask students how the feel of the rhythm shifted when these two rhythms were played together.
- Explain that the polyrhythms resulted from the layering of rhythms. The Bamboula/Tresillo rhythm provides a foundation, but there is a larger community of sounds that can be made when everyone comes together.
- Have students practice clapping along with Polyrhythm Exercise 2. Students should try clapping along with each line of the exercise.
- How did the feel of the rhythm shift when these two rhythmic lines were played together?
- Continue practicing different polyrhythms, using the Bamboula/Tresillo, Habanera, and/or 3-2 Son Clave as the foundational rhythms.
- Once students connect with the concept of polyrhythms, explain that they will now be using the rhythms they just learned to create a drumbeat.
- Students will open up a new Soundtrap session.
- If this is their first time using the BEATMAKER, have them watch the video Getting Started with BEATMAKER prior to creating their beat.
- If you’re already experienced in Soundtrap, we recommend the Drums Sound video.
- Demonstrate to students how to get started with BEATMAKER.
- Explain to students that the drumbeat should be at least 8 bars long and feature the Bamboula/Tresillo beat, Habanera, or 3-2 Son Clave rhythm.
- These rhythms can be used on any drum sound.
- Demonstrate to students how they would place these rhythms in Soundtrap using the BEATMAKER.
- While students create their beats, assist them as needed.
- Once students have ample time to create their beats, have them play their drum beats for the class.
Assessment/Extensions
Assessment
- Students are able to practice and perform all rhythmic patterns presented in the lesson.
- Students understand how the layering of rhythms creates polyrhythms.
- Students are able to develop a drumbeat using Soundtrap.
Extensions
- Utilize the drum beat created in this lesson as the foundation to their remix in the Take Me to the River New Orleans unit on Arranging, Sampling, and Remixing in Berklee PULSE.
- Connect learning about polyrhythms in the Berklee PULSE Rhythm Unit.
- Review percussion notation in Berklee PULSE’s Study Room.
Key Terms
- Bamboula Rhythm (also referred to as the Second Line Beat and Tresillo Rhythm) - A rhythm that derives from the structural core of sub-Saharan African music traditions. It is at the foundation of New Orleans African American musical styles including jazz, brass band music, and the music of Mardi Gras Indians. This rhythm is also prevalent in musical traditions found in many parts of the African Diaspora
- Cinquillo Rhythm - A rhythmic pattern that is common in Cuban contradanza and danzon music. The rhythm is an embellishment of the Tresillo rhythm and features a strong syncopated pattern.
- Habanera Rhythm - A Cuban form of syncopation used as the rhythmic pulse for some Latin and jazz pieces. It was a major influence on the musicians from New Orleans who traveled back and forth from New Orleans to Cuba, making their way into the culture and adding the “Spanish tinge” to the melting pot of New Orleans culture.
- Improvisation - The freedom to create music on the spot. Improvisation allows spontaneous expression and interaction between and among musicians during a performance.
- Polyrhythm - When you hear two different meters playing at the same time. For example, you might hear a polyrhythm when one instrument sounds like it is playing notes in a triple meter (three beats per measure) while another instrument sounds like it is playing in a duple meter (two or four beats per measure).
- Son Clave Rhythm - A rhythmic pattern that is composed of a three-side and a two-side. The first measure features three beats, and the second measure features two beats. The rhythmic pattern originated in sub-Saharan African musical traditions and is commonly utilized in Cuban popular music. The 3 - 2 son clave rhythm will be discussed in this lesson plan.
- Tresillo Rhythm - Spanish for the word “triplet,” this rhythmic pattern has three equal notes that are played within the same time span occupied by two notes. When enslaved African people were brought to Cuba, they brought this rhythm with them based on the Bamboula rhythm.
