rhythms / spheres

Does our own heartbeat recreate within each of us the pulse from the spheres of our universe? Does connecting to the universe through this pulse creates the basic groove of our lives? When excited, the tempo of our pulse races. When restful, does the tempo of our pulse slow and resume it's stately homage to the rhythm of the spheres? We recreate our musical tempos to motor our music, which mirrors the spiritual excitement and experience of our lives. This pulse from the spheres of our universe exists within all living things.

Can we create rhythmic divisions of the pulse into similar components as we did with the octave to create the individual pitches? And as with the pitches, do the different divisions of the beat evoke different emotional responses? I think they do. In subdividing the beat as with subdividing the pitch, we can endlessly expand the rhythmic possibilities? 

What we are looking for initially are one or two rhythms that make us feel good when we play them. Once established in our consciousness, these basic grooves provide the starting points to create our own rhythmic variations. Lets create a beat then gradually divide it and check out what happens and how we emotionally respond by hearing them. Again, are different emotions evoked by the different rhythmic subdivisions? Explore and decide for yourself.

To get started, here is a basic pulse of four beats per measure. Does our breathing match up with our heart beat? Four beats as we breath in, four beats as we breath out? Example 1.

Consistently accenting different beats of example one above creates some interesting results. Try accenting the first beat, of each group of four, this "groove" goes way back.

This next idea is the common eighth note, so essential to the jazz musician, created by subdividing the quarter notes of the above ideas in half to eighth notes. Example 2.

Try accenting the 2nd of each group of two above, creating a sort of "loping" or swing feel. Why, the eighth note is so popular in the American sounds, folks name their clubs after it, got one in your town?

Moving back to quarter notes, this next idea puts three beats over two, commonly termed a triplet. Example 3.

Seems to create a sense of anticipation yes? Do you know which pitch is created by the 3 part division of a string?

This next idea groups three eighth notes together, commonly called a triplet, creating a 12 / 8 time signature, so essential to the blues / shuffle players. Example 4.

Does this "three feel" prompt any memories of songs you know, what emotions do you associate with this groove?

This next subdivision is 4 to 1, simply a doubling up of the eighth notes to sixteenth notes. Example 5.

This 4 to 1 subdivision from example 5 is a big part of the "techno" dance grooves of the last 25 years or so.

Back to an "odd" combination, groups of five is said to be common in ancient Celtic music from the isle of Britain. Example 6.

Does this "odd 5" evoke any memories? Some jazz players dig this grouping of 5 over 1. Paul Desmond's "Take Five" is a classic line in 5 / 4. Know this melody?

The 6 to 1 ratio which follows below doubles up the eighth note triplet into sixteenth notes. Example 7.

Grouping in a 7 to 1 ratio, not common, but interesting eh? Example 8.

Try tapping along with the various subdivisions? Explore the rhythms from the spheres and your memories. Subdivisions beyond seven? Totally. Of course they are possible, and one must explore the resources of their own terms. Are there correlation's between rhythmic subdivisions and the spheres? Are there correlation's between rhythmic subdivisions and various styles of music? If we play one subdivision long enough, does it start to take on an energy of it's own? What is your favorite groove? What is the subdivision? More ideas on rhythm? Comments / questions?

Other topics in this section?

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. Robertson Davies