Jazz Rhythm Patterns

[charlieparker]

I am looking for some jazz rhythm patterns typically found in solos to practice with different note choices to get some new rhythms into my playing.

Are there any resources that do this systematically? I guess I could just take some rhythm's from heads or solos but I was thinking someone might have already put together a book with common rhythms.

[Bop Head]

I think jazz rhythm is better felt than read from a book.

While the harmony comes mainly from European “classical” (romantic, post-romantic, impressionist and modernist to be more exact) music, the rhythm is the main African contribution to the music. So apart from extensive listening (all instruments, especially drums) and imitating, it makes also sense to listen to music that is closer to (West) African music like Afro-Cuban or Afro-Brazilian music and its roots in religious music (e.g. Candomblé – Brazil, Santéria – Cuba, Voodoo – Haiti) to get a feeling for the polyrhythms and the simultaneousness of binary and ternary rhythms. There are many videos of rituals of those traditions on YouTube (in case you do not mind some animal sacrifice LOL).

Inspired by Afro-Cuban musicians like Machito or Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie started to dig deep into polyrhythms. His longtime pianist Mike Longo produced four DVDs based on Dizzy’s teachings.

[rpjazzguitar]

For simpler material, Colin and Bower, Rhythms Complete might be useful.

For more advanced material, I have used one Lenny Niehus sp? book which was organized that way. A rhythmic figure shown at the top of the page and then a solo constructed based on it.

Good reading practice and might help internalize some rhythms.

Another thing to consider is that every melody in the Real Book(s) has some rhythmic content that you can apply to another tune.

[Bop Head]

[…] Lenny Niehus sp? […]

Lennie Niehaus

[…]Good reading practice and might help internalize some rhythms[…]

I have said above that jazz rhythms should be rather felt but read, but of course reading is an impotant skill for a musician.

BTW said Mike Longo has also written a book called “How To Sight read Jazz and Other Syncopated Type Rhythms” which I have not used myself but which might be useful for you.

[Bop Head]

Found this again on the YouTube channel of an US-American scholar featuring many playlists that might be of interest.

[JCat]

I have a book called "Patterns for Jazz" (Coker, Casale, Campbell, Greene)
It's primarily about patterns for harmony. I understand that you're looking for rhythmic figures, but It tends to come naturally after a while...it's sort of built into the Jazz concept.

Tips: When playing a line (for example an 8th-note pattern) you can create different rhythms by accentuating certain notes and repeat it. (Basic example; when playing swing rhythm / "triplet feel" accentuate the 8th note on the beat for a stronger pulse).

The comp invites the soloist to improvise within a groove, that inspires him to build on and reinforce the vibe. But it goes both ways, the soloist could also invite the comp into a groove.

Rhythm is a powerful thing. Practice by playing percussion instruments along with your favorite tracks.

[Jimmy Smith]

Here ya go:

Yeah no jk. I've also been thinking about this. All I do is think of all the rhythms I can execute and try to think of different ways to use them. 1/4, 1/4 triplet, 1/8, 1/8 triplet, 1/16, 1/16th triplet etc. Then listen to what players use because it's easy to hear what rythms they use. I would be interested to know if there is a summary though, I think that would be helpful.

[hohoho]

I like Jerry Bergonzi's Volume 4 Melodic Rhythms

[PatrickWD]

Bergonzis melodic rhythm is a great book for this kind of thing. I have used that a lot too. One of the chapters has various rhythms that are moved to all possible starting points in the bar. First it's played on the "1" of the bar then the "1 and" then the "2". I have found this to be a good exercise for not only internalizing new rhythms, but also for getting used to starting phrases on various points in the bar.

Vibraphonist Ed Saindon also has an interesting book on rhythms for improvisation called exploration in rhythm. It has a focus on playing various lenghts of rhythmic phrases over various time signatures. Like a 5/8 phrase over 4/4 and that kind of thing.

[medblues]

Try the Drum Genius app.