Playing 3:5

[CDS814]

Hi,
     I'm not working on this piece, but I was playing through Nostalgia by Yanni and trying to play the 3:5 passages was just blowing my mind. Any helpful hints on how to learn such "uneven" passages as this? I still have trouble with 3:2. Just thought it would be a cool thing to know, thanks.

[Etude]

I'm afraid I don't know the piece you are refering to but I can help you on cross-rhythms in general.

With some of the more simple cross-rhythmic patterns, you can afford to be as accurate as possible by dividing the top number by the bottom number.  So in 3/2 rhythms, 3 divided by 2 is 1.5.  This means that each duplet lasts for one and a half of the triplets length.  However, they are easier to grasp when shown graphically:

3 over 2

Triplets:    1  -  2  -  3  - 1  -  2  -  3  - 
Duplets:    1  -  -  2  -  -  1  -  -  2  -  - 

3 over 4

Triplets:       1  -  -  -  2  -  -  -  3  -  -  - 
quadruplets: 1  -  -  2  -  -  3  -  -  4  -  -

I suppose a better way to describe it is that each rhythm is counted by the opposing rhythm.  2s are counted in 3s and 3s are counted in 2s

Duplets:1 2 3 1 2 3
Triplets:1 2 1 2 1 2  

This gives you the cross rhythm.

Triplets:      1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Quadruplets:1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

I think 5 over 3 would be similar but very complicated:

in 3:  1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
in 5:  1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

If all this is too complicated, I think that the quickest and easiest way to learn these kinds of rhythms is to learn each rhythm seperately and then put the hands together independently.  I don't know which you'll find easier but these are the two most beneficial and effective ways of playing cross-rhythmic passages such as the one you described.

HTH

Etude_de_Concert

[dj]

also, depending on the speed and nature of the piece, the timing may not have to be exact....in a fast piece, if you just be sure to match up the down-beats, the tricky timings should fit ok and sound good....in some slower romantic pieces, its also possible to play rubato to some extent...again as long as the downbeats match up, there shouldn't be too much of a problem....im not familiar with the particular piece you r talking about so thats about as helpful as i can be....good luck!

dj