Cross rhythms

[danhuyle]

What's your approach to practicing cross rhythms?

Something like that passage in Chopin Ballade No4, Liszt Transcendental Etude No7,12...

Any resources that deal with these type of cross rhythms?

[becky8898]

Hi Dan. If your asking how to deal with cross rhythms then you should totally forget about the two pieces you mentioned in your post.  Im not sure of your technical level, but ill throw two pieces out there which I think help with this. The two pieces are Debussy  - Arabesque #1 and Schubert Impromptu OP 90 # 1. Both deal with 3 against two in spots. The impromptu deals with dotted eight - sixteenth note against triplets.  My teacher taught me on these pieces and it worked pretty well for me. Ok first step - I would start with the Schubert, but its your choice.  Play one hand at a time until you know the parts like there part of you.  Then try putting them together. One time pay attention to the left hand , one time pay attention to the right hand. See if there is a difference. Play faster , play slower, how does that effect things.  Try playing with  very marked accents on each beat, just for now. How does that work.  get the idea.  Im not your teacher and this is like a doctor diagnosing you over the phone. These are some general ideas.  I giving you what worked for me.  but you know im me and your you.

Good luck

Cheers, Becky