Simple polyrhythm in DP (7.24)

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le revelateur
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Simple polyrhythm in DP (7.24)

Post by le revelateur »

Hi folks,

trying to do something that I assumed was going to be very simple but apparently isn't; I have a whole DP sequence in 4/4 and I am trying to sequence a pattern in 3/4 over it, inside the drum editor window, but I just can't seem to make it work - is it even possible to do so in DP?

I tried changing the overall sequence to 3/4, making sure to lock all the pre-existing audio so they wouldn't just shift position randomly, but for some reason it isn't working; even if the grid shows that each rotation now consists of 3 quarter notes, it still feels as though everything is still in 4/4, I just can't seem to find where to lock the notes of my pattern onto the grid.

I'm not well versed in musical theory, but I know that the pattern I'm playing by hand while composing is either in 3/4 or triplets - not sure if there is a difference. Either way I just can't find how to enter the pattern correctly on the grid in order to lock it down.

Any tips?
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Shooshie
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Re: Simple polyrhythm in DP (7.24)

Post by Shooshie »

In DP there can be only one meter at a time. That takes place in the Conductor Track. It is possible to do what you're asking, however, in at least a couple of ways. You haven't said exactly how you're doing this. Are you making your ¾ bars the same length as your 4/4 bars? That is, 3 notes in the space of 4? If so, that would be called hemiola, superposition of a triple over a duple meter, or vice versa.

Or, you may be doing ¾ and 4/4 in the same beats per minute, which is not hemiola, but merely a shift of accent. Often we hear samba and bossa nova in 4/4 divided into two groups of three and one group of two: DA da da - DA da da - DA da. You can create that effect either of two ways: raise the velocity on the accented notes, or use agogic accent, which is the lengthening of the accented note, or both. Usually it's a little of both, with a separation between the groups, meaning that the last note of each group is shortened and quietened.

One way I used to produce the effect of two completely different meters superimposed was by setting them up in their own "Chunks," then layering them in the SONG window. That is, you drag the chunks into the Song window and position them as you want them. Then you can either play from the Song window or turn it back into a Sequence using the Song Window's mini-menu. Usually I find it easier these days to just do it in individual tracks in the Tracks Window. It's easy to drag phrases around there. (In the Preferences, go to Editing/Tracks Overview and set it to Dynamic Phrase Parsing, and "Break phrases longer than 8 bars into 4 bar phrases," or some other useful setting.) The COMMAND key will allow you to move off-grid. Otherwise, the grid will keep you aligned for the meter you're in.

I'm not sure I've told you what you're looking for, but if you have any more questions, don't hesitate.

Shoosh
|l| OS X 10.12.6 |l| DP 10.0 |l| 2.4 GHz 12-Core MacPro Mid-2012 |l| 40GB RAM |l| Mach5.3 |l| Waves 9.x |l| Altiverb |l| Ivory 2 New York Steinway |l| Wallander WIVI 2.30 Winds, Brass, Saxes |l| Garritan Aria |l| VSL 5.3.1 and VSL Pro 2.3.1 |l| Yamaha WX-5 MIDI Wind Controller |l| Roland FC-300 |l|
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stubbsonic
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Re: Simple polyrhythm in DP (7.24)

Post by stubbsonic »

Yea, that's critical for us to understand what you are doing.

Do you want to keep the measures the same length between 3/4 & 4/4? Or do you want to keep the beat length the same?

Both can be done really without changing the tempo.

If the measure length is the same, you can take 4/4 and think of it as 12/8 (i.e., 4 beats of triplet 8th notes). and then the 3/4 just takes the same grid, but treats every 8th note as if they are 16th notes. This approach will even work if beat one is not shared between them, you just can't notate from both systems (if that is your goal).

If the beat is the same, then you are just superimposing two different beat groupings- that can be done, just by keeping track of beat groups and putting some kind of visual or audible reference.

If neither measure or bar is related, then setting up a SONG chunk and having two chunks running concurrently might be an easier way to go. It just depends on how you want to work.
M1 MBP; OS 12, FF800, DP 11.3, Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, PC3K7, K2661S, iPad6, Godin XTSA, Two Ibanez 5 string basses (1 fretted, 1 fretless), FM3, SY-1000, etc.

http://www.jonstubbsmusic.com
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