''The Musician's Guide to Polyrhythms'' is a study guide by American author, drummer and percussionist
Peter Magadini
Peter Charles "Pete" Magadini (born January 25, 1942) is an American drummer, percussionist, educator and author. He is known for his body of work (instructional books and videos) concerning the comprehension and execution of musical polyrhythm ...
. ''Musician's Guide to Polyrhythms Vol. I'' was written in 1967 and published in 1968. ''Musician's Guide to Polyrhythms Vol. II'' was written in 1970 and published in 1971
["Library of Congress - Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1971: Title Index"](_blank)
'' Library of Congress'' and was (at the time) a continuation of Vol. l. The first publisher (Try Publishing, Hollywood, Ca.) published both volumes separately. These volumes have since been combined into one single volume called ''Polyrhythms: The Musicians Guide'' and is now published by
Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation
HAL may refer to:
Aviation
* Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia
* Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL)
* HAL Airport, Bangalore, India
* Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fi ...
.
Both books were written after Peter had studied with North Indian
Tabla Drum Master,
Mahapurush Misra,
[Miller, Mark. June 1, 1978. "Pete Magadini" ''Downbeat Magazine''. p.33.] who was teaching and playing with Usted
Ali Akbar Khan in a summer program of North
Indian Classical Music
Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...
at the
University of California, Berkeley campus in 1966. Realizing the need for a pedagogical system of study for musicians using the “western” system of notation; Magadini re-configured the concepts and coined the phrase “time ratios”, which describes the mathematical ratios of polymeters as they relate to each other. Magadini also introduced in these volumes a new way to write “Polyrhythmic
Time Signatures”. Both volumes deal with polymeters and
polyrhythms
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music (cross-rhyth ...
, and are presented, in a step-by-step manner, through exercises and
etudes that progress from easy to difficult.
Critical reception
Gunther Schuller of the
New England Conservatory
The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...
called ''Musicians Guide to Polyrhythms'' "... a very important contribution".
In 1993, ''
Modern Drummer Magazine
''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public. ''Mo ...
'' ranked ''Polyrhythms The Musician's Guide'' as #6 in its survey of "the 25 Greatest Drum books".
["Musicians Guide to Polyrhythms, voted 6th on Modern Drummer Magazine's list of the 25 greatest drum books."](_blank)
'' Vic Firth''
A review in the Percussion Arts Society's ''Percussion Notes'' lauded the book's organization and the "articulate and easily understood" explanations of the various polyrhythms.
Polyrhythms For The Drumset
Another
polyrhythm book by Magadini was written exclusively for
drumset drummers titled ''Polyrhythms For The Drumset'' (originally published in 1973) . It is currently published by
Alfred Publishing
Alfred may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series
* ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne
* ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák
*"Alfred (Interlu ...
.
["Polyrhythms For The Drumset"](_blank)
'' Google Books'' It also presents polyrhythms and polymeters in step-by-step exercises and etudes. However, the polyrhythms are distributed between hands and feet at the drumset in independent combinations between the ride cymbal, the snare drum, the bass drum and hi hat. This book also describes and contains exercises that teach drummers how to play and perform
metric modulation
In music, metric modulation is a change in pulse rate (tempo) and/or pulse grouping (subdivision) which is derived from a note value or grouping heard before the change. Examples of metric modulation may include changes in time signature across a ...
.
''Polyrhythms For The Drumset'' endorsers include: Vic Firth, Steve Smith, Cindy Blackman, Peter Erskin, Roy Burns, Jim Chapin, Chad Wackerman, Anthony Cirone, Louie Bellson, William F. Miller (Modern Drummer Magazine)
References
External links
Peter Magadini official website"Peter Magadini's Polyrhythmic Life" Dec. 2017 Modern Drummer Magazine https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/december-2017-peter-magadinis-polyrhythmic-life/
Jazz Drummers Workshop "Polyrhythms" Jan.1978 Modern Drummer Magazine https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/january-1978-jazz-drummers-workshop-polyrhythms/
"Polyrhythms The Musicians Guide" https://www.amazon.com/Polyrhythms-Musicians-Guide-Peter-Magadini/dp/0634032836
"Polyrhythms For The Drumset" https://www.amazon.com/Polyrhythms-Drumset-Book-Peter-Magadini/dp/089724821X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_1/130-3900444-4100417?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G0B2WPEMY1D36V9D980H
San Francisco Conservatory of Music Alumni Peter Magadini March 2016 https://sfcm.edu/library/archives/oral-history-project/peter-magadini
{{DEFAULTSORT:Musicians Guide to Polyrhythms
1968 non-fiction books
1971 non-fiction books
Music books
Music textbooks