I'm assuming you are just wanting me to help with the hand parts right? Straight eighth-notes in the right hand, quarter-note triplets in the left.
As with all polyrhythms, the thing you want to do is to find the common denominator between the two parts. To do this, we have to begin by sub-dividing each part.
To cut to the chase, let me just tell you what that common denominator is, and then show you how the parts line up.
SIXTEENTH-NOTE TRIPLETSIf you were playing eighth-note triplets in the left hand, we would only have to count out eighth-note triplets to figure this out. But ... alas ... you are trying to make things difficult aren't you? LOL Actually, it's very easy as you'll see.
Write out a full bar of sixteenth-note triplets in 4/4. I'll use the Eastman Counting System to demonstrate this; you can use whatever method you want.
1 ta la ta li ta 2 ta la ta li ta 3 ta la ta li ta 4 ta la ta li ta
If you are writing this out on a piece of paper, some how notate where the right hand would play. The right hand is playing STRAIGHT eighth-notes, which means that it would land on every third note of the sixteenth-note triplet. Look again as I notate this with a
bold marking on the count that the right hand lands on.
1 ta la ta li ta 2 ta la ta li ta 3 ta la ta li ta 4 ta la ta li ta
Next we have to figure out which count the left hand part will land on as it plays quarter-note triplets. NOTE: You can only play 2 sets of quarter-note triplets per 4/4 bar. That means the left hand will sound 6 times per bar. To spread this out evenly over the sixteenth-note triplets, the quarter-note triplet figure would land on every fourth sixteenth note. I'll notate the left hand part with the color
red.
1 ta la ta li ta 2 ta la ta li ta 3 ta la ta li ta 4 ta la ta li ta
Now ... let's combine the
right and
left hands together.
1 ta la ta li ta 2 ta la ta li ta 3 ta la ta li ta 4 ta la ta li ta
I highly recommend that you work out each hand individually, thinking in sixteenth-note triplets ... and be able to count it out loud ... BEFORE ... actually attempting to play it. You success rate will be a lot faster if you do this. If you don't want to use the Eastman Counting System, you could just use numbers or actually write out sixteenth-note triplets. I was going to notate it for you, but feel that it's best to be able to count this stuff out first ... so naturally, music notation isn't going to help with that like counting or sounding it out with your voice.
As with everything ... start VERY SLOW and gradually work up your speed. Once you get the
muscle memory down, the rest will be a cake walk.
Let me know how this works for you ... and enjoy!
