GETTING TO KNOW THE RHYTHM TREE

The Rhythm Tree is a system for explaining rhythms and their relationships to each other. It does not invent rhythms, but is a way of clarifying rhythmic figures which already exist, by building them up from the 'Fundamental Rhythmic Unit' (beat-space-beat). At the bottom of the tree are these basic two beats, which we have already explored in the One Two piece.

The next unit which we deal with is three beats. In the diagram, it can be seen that these three beats fit into the same space (or length of time) as the two beats below them. We call the relationship between the basic two beats and the three beats above them the 'Fundamental Rhythmic Equation': TIME/TEMPO AS RELATED RHYTHM

This stage of the Tree (the underlying Two and the Three above it) is termed the 'Deep Structure'. Moving up the tree into the 'Surface Structure' (four beats upwards) the same equation repeats itself over and over again. Achieving the skills necessary to play the rhythms of the 'Deep Structure' strongly and evenly will make the smaller units of the 'Surface Structure' more easily attainable. We conceive of Time/Tempo as related rhythm - that is, the smaller units are not faster tempos, but are subdivisions of the same basic walking pace. It is particularly important in this piece that;

1. There is someone in the group familiar enough with the Rhythm Tree to act as a leader for the rest of the group, and

2. Each stage is thoroughly mastered before going on to the next one.

Obviously, any given space (length of time) can be equally divided into any number of beats. For the sake of clarity, we have not included every possibility on the diagram (only multiples of two and three are included) but some of the less commonly found subdivisions (fives, sevens and nines) are dealt with at the end of the piece. If you feel so inclined, you will have to work out the elevens, thirteens and other prime numbers for yourself. Good luck!

METHOD OF SHOWING THE RHYTHM TREE

I BEGIN by demonstrating a familiar 4/4 rhythm at an easy walking pace and get the group to join in, keeping it even.

II WHILE the group is playing the 4/4 rhythm, demonstrate the underlying 2/2

III PLAY the 4/4 while the group plays the slow 2/2 beneath it, showing that the TWO is exactly half the speed of the FOUR. Alternate between the TWO and the FOUR until the group is familiar with doubling the speed of the TWO to play the FOUR, and halving the FOUR to obtain the TWO.

IV PLAY the 1 (the first beat of the bar) and get the group to play 2 beats per bar:

Swap around, the group playing the 1 while you play the 2.

V THE group continues to play the slow underlying ONE (always keeping the same tempo, while you demonstrate how to fit 3 beats into the same space.

Change over again, the group playing 3 beats per bar while you play the slow ONE. Alternate between the THREE and the ONE until the group is able to change freely between them. Dividing any length of space into three equal beats produces TRIPLETS.

VI WHEN the group is fluent and steady at this, point out that this THREE lies between the TWO and the FOUR which they were playing earlier. It will be obvious that the 'feel' has changed (to a waltz), while the tempo has remained the same.

METHOD 1

If we divide each bar into 6 beats, we can derive counts of either 3 or 2 by subdividing the 6. There are 3 groups of 2 in 6, and 2 groups of 3. The 3 is derived from the 6 by stressing or accenting the 1st, 3rd & 5th beats. The 2 is derived from the 6 by stressing the 1st & 4th beats.

I BEGIN by demonstrating SIX over a slow TWO. This is essentially the same process as in point V - ie dividing beats into triplets.

II BY leaving out every other beat in the 6 (ie accenting the 1, 3 and 5) you obtain the THREE below the 6. This should be clear from the symmetry of the Rhythm Tree. (The spoken or clapped beats are underlined)

III SPLIT the group into two, making half of them Twos (Group 1] and the other half Threes (Group 2). The group should count the 6 out loud. Group 1 should clap on the Is and the 4s (thus playing 2 beats to a bar) and Group 2 should clap on the Is, the 3s and the 5s (playing 3 beats to a bar). (The underlinings show where claps should be)

IV CHANGE over the groups, and repeat the last step.

V ONCE both groups have become confident with both the Two and the Three, get everyone to tap their feet on the TWO (on the 1 and the 4) while COUNTING the 6 out loud and clapping on the 1, 3 and 5. The group will now be clapping THREE whilst tapping out the TWO.

Next, leave out the voices, leaving only the THREE against the TWO.

METHOD 2

This method treats the THREE over TWO as a rhythmic pattern or melody, as opposed to counting out the 6.

I USING your hands on your knees (or a drum) tap out the pattern "Together Left Right Left. Together Left Right Left" etc. This diagram shows how the pattern lies against the count of 6.

II ALTHOUGH easily memorised as a pattern or melody, it is important to be aware of one hand playing 2 beats and the other 3 beats. Try swapping the pattern around to "Together Right Left Right".

III ISOLATE each hand in turn, that is, tap only the left hand rhythm, and then only the right hand rhythm, then bring the other hand back in.

IV TRY using different surfaces for the different hands, so that you get a different sound for the TWO and the THREE. Then swap them over so that the sounds for TWO and THREE are changed over. This should help to hear the TWO and THREE as separate rhythms while still feeling the tension of one against the other.

The group will already be familiar with the common 4/4 rhythm, and the concept of dividing a beat into 3 (triplets). This 4/4 triplet feel is used to obtain the cross-rhythm of THREE over FOUR.

I BEGIN by taking 4 beats to a bar. Divide each beat into triplets (groups of 3), making 12 triplets in all.

II DIVIDE the 12 triplets by 4, and accent the first of each group of 4. This gives you THREE over FOUR. The first accent falls on the first beat of the 4, the second just after the second beat of the 4, and the third falls just before the fourth beat of the 4. This creates, again, a rhythmic pattern which can be remembered as a melody,

FURTHER EXERCISES

I SPLIT the workshop into four subgroups. The first group starts by playing (clapping, tapping) a slow TWO.

II THE second group plays 3 beats over the slow TWO:

III
THE third group plays 4 beats, doubling the TWO:

IV THE last group plays 6, doubling the THREE (Group 2]:

V SWAP the groups around until everyone has had a go at each of the rhythms.

VI ONCE everyone is fluent in each rhythm, try changing from one rhythm to another over the basic pulse. It may be helpful to have a drum playing the basic pulse (the slow TWO) at this stage:

VII TRY tapping the basic pulse lie the slow TWO) whilst changing from one rhythm to another on top of it. Concentrate on keeping it steady.

Obviously, between the FOURS and the SIXES lie FIVES; similarly, between the SIXES and EIGHTS lie SEVENS. We haven't looked at these up till now, as they are less commonly found in Western music, and their unfamiliarity makes them harder to play.

METHOD 1

I BEGIN by taking 4 beats. Divide each one into 5 equal beats, giving a total of 20.

II Divide these 20 beats into groups of 4, and accent the first beat of each group.

This gives you FIVE over FOUR. Practise it by first playing all 20 beats with the accents, then drop out all but the accented ones. This is not 5/4 time, but 5 beats falling in the same space as the original 4 beats did.

METHOD 2

Because we are not used to hearing groups of 5, it may be easier to play if we begin by putting FOUR over FIVE, although it looks more logical to put FIVE over FOUR.

I BEGIN by taking 5 beats Divide each beat into 4. Again, this gives a total of 20.

DIVIDE the 20 by 5, and accent the first of each group of 5. This gives you FOUR over FIVE. You will hear that the first beats of each come together; the second beat of the 4 comes just after the second beat of the 5; the third beat of the 4 comes halfway between the third and fourth beats of the 5, and the last beat of the 4 comes just before the fifth beat of the 5. Again, this produces a rhythmic melody, just as the THREE over TWO does. Once you've memorised the sound of this combination, it will be much easier to turn it upside down and get FIVE over FOUR.

METHOD 1

BEGIN by taking 4 beats. Divide each one into 7. This gives you 28 beats in all.

II DIVIDE the 28 into groups of 4 and accent the first beat of each group. This gives you SEVEN over FOUR.

METHOD 2

It may be easier to play SEVEN over FOUR if we start by putting FOUR over SEVEN. It is unfamiliar to most of us to hear notes divided intro groups of 7, so instead of starting with 4 beats, begin with 7 beats. BEGIN by taking 7 beats, and divide each beat into 4, again producing 28. Now divide the 28 into groups of seven, accenting the first of each group. This gives you FOUR over SEVEN, Once familiar with the sound of this, it will be easier to play SEVEN over FOUR.

In the same way as the TWOS and the THREES double up:

2 --- 4 --- 8 --- 16

3 --- 6 ---12 --- 24

we can double up the FIVES and the SEVENS:

5 --- 10 --- 20 --- 40

7 --- 14 --- 28 --- 56

NINES can be derived by simply placing triplets against each beat of the slow THREE.

Similarly, we can get EIGHTEENS by placing triplets against each beat of the SIX (thus doubling up the NINES), and so on.