"In this book, Richard Niles and Gary O'Toole use their immense experience and practical music knowledge to explore the boundaries of rhythmic improvisation in a disarming and inspiring way that, as the best musical aids do, serves as an exciting springboard for the musician to go on and find his or her way through this fascinating subject." - Gwilym Simcock (pianist, composer, educator; 'Jazz Musician of the Year' - Parliamentary Jazz Awards, 2007.
The three foundations of music are melody, harmony and rhythm. Many improvising musicians develop a seemingly effortless facility on their instruments, weaving intricate melodic lines in their solos and enhancing their music with a deep understanding of harmony. Yet - drummers apart - very few attain an equivalent level of rhythmic awareness and skill. Whether you are a player, a composer or an arranger, POLYMETRICS will help you gain control over this vital third dimension and to bring your music to life with true rhythmic interest and colour. Polymetric concepts are used in jazz, pop and ‘serious’ composition. Playing polymetrically simply means performing two or more meters at the same time. This book provides a systematic methodology to do just that. Nearly all the musical examples are 2 or 4 bars in length, using harmony derived from standard jazz or blues ‘turnarounds’ or modal scales and can serve as good taking-off points for improvisation and composition.. Pianists can attempt to play them on their own; other instrumentalists can play them as duets or record one part and play the other part. Programmers might want to programme them. This book will help you learn to improvise polymetrically, enabling you to become one of those few players to achieve facility at filling a specific number of bars with an interesting polymetric phrase. It also provides a methodology for composers to create polymetric music.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
The career of DR. RICHARD NILES spans pop, rock and jazz as a recording artist, composer, producer, songwriter, arranger, guitarist, conductor and musical director. He also writes and presents acclaimed music documentaries for the BBC. His book, The Pat Metheny Interviews, was published in 2009. In popular music he has worked with Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Cher, Mariah Carey, Dusty Springfield, Grace Jones, James Brown, Michael McDonald, Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears, Westlife and Kylie Minogue. His parallel career in jazz includes work with Pat Metheny, Martin Taylor, The Yellowjackets, Bob James, Michel Legrand, Ray Charles, Jane Monheit, Guy Barker, Bob Mintzer, Silje Nergaard, John Patitucci, Jim Mullen, Nils Landgren, Nelson Rangell, Gwilym Simcock, David Newton and Gary Husband.
GARY O’TOOLE runs the successful Gary O’Toole School of Music in London, where he is the Head of the Drum department and writes its curriculum. He is one of London’s most respected drummers with 25 years teaching experience, and over 30 years professional experience playing with artists in many genres, including Kylie Minogue, Chrissie Hynde and Orphy Robinson. His students include Will Champion of Coldplay, and Steve Sidelnyk who tours with Madonna. Gary currently tours with ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett.
