Wheel Method – A Different Way to Visualize Rhythm from John Varney
Wheel Method – A Different Way to Visualize Rhythm from John Varney How many of you have ever practiced your rhythm before? Drummers may be nodding but if you aren’t a drummer then you most likely haven’t practiced rhythm or looked at a rhythm sheet with the notation on bar lines. Typical rhythm notation doesn’t stray far from the classical method of notes on staff lines, there are pros and cons to this method. Pros include generalization from sight reading musical notation and familiarity but the format doesn’t often account for polyrhythms in a meaningful or clear way. This can be frustrating. The ‘Wheel Method’ described by John Varney in a recent TEDEd video attempts to mediate that issue with a layered visual approach to rhythm notation. The Wheel Method involves using concentric circles to represent multiple instruments and their respective timing. Like a clock, imagine a hand or needle spinning …
Read More
Euclidian Rhythms – Polyrhythms in Ableton Live (Free Download)
Euclidian Rhythms – Polyrhythms in Ableton Live Have you ever found yourself endlessly tapping away on the Drum Rack loaded in your MIDI controller, staring at your DAW for hours in an attempt to spark the inspiration for a new sound? Most of us have been there before, wishing for a quick solution to keep us in the flow of composition. Today I’m going to give you exactly that- a quick and easy way to create new, interesting and complex beats using what’s known as the Euclidean Algorithm. Euclid was a Greek mathematician and one of the most instrumental figures in creating the branch of mathematics known as geometry. He formulated a way to calculate the greatest common denominator (divisor) of two numbers. This means of calculating even distributions, now known as the Euclidean Algorithm, doesn’t just apply to mathematics. It’s a universal law that has been able to transcend …
Read MoreFeatured Masterclass
