This is a sort of rhythmic transposition that uses the relational values between rhythmic events which are then shifted to another rhythmic framework. If you heard both of these examples without reference to a pulse, then they would both sound the same. Apply the same thing to groups of 5s. Or take a really common riff that’s burned into your mind as being that way and no other, the riff to Whole Lotta Love, for instance. And then figure out the relational values and shift it into a triplet framework. Learn it. Make some cheese on toast. Add snorkeling equipment. No yer talkin’, baby.
Just as a little aside for the more mathmatically inclined readers: can you have a ratio with three things? Is that even possible? Or are ratios always between two things?
Questions, questions…
Excellent! One to Genius Boy then ;)
I dub it – ‘Ratrio’. Tell the geeks…
Haven’t heard Phil’s tune, but I really like what I’ve heard of his stuff.
Cheers! M
So, you can be proud that you managed to stump a room of geeks! A ratio can definitely only be between two things. But we didn’t land on a name for the relationship between three things (maybe it’s one for the Banzai Buddy Band to solve?). It did lead to some interesting conversations about triangles and Pythagorean triples. Talking of mathematically inspired jazz tunes, have you heard Phil Bancroft’s tune “Golden Section”? Great tune and nice playing on the recording.
Mike, this is a great question for my the people at my office (mostly people with PhDs in Maths and Physics). It should keep them distracted from work. Let’s hope the answer is not a let-down :o)
Thought so. So what’s it called when you have three things that are related like that?
The Vai thing is a polyrhythm; this is different. (the tempo mental stuff?)
You can’t have 3 ratios, that’d be like having a fraction of 7.5 / 2, it defeats the point.
Vai’s Alien Love Secrets thing immediately comes to mind. 5:7 or whatever, but it would only make sense if you kept the pulse the same, which is effectively what you state above.