Rhythm Circle

This excercise is taken from Pauline Oliveros’ book Deep Listening

Heartbeat

Each person detects and then expresses their own heartbeat, first by tapping on the body. When everyone is tapping, then switch to hand clapping. Each person keeps their own heartbeat and listens to the composite rhythms of the group.

60 Beats per Minute (bpm)

From the heartbeat, the circle finds 60 bpm to express a common rhythm by clapping and/or walking in place. After clapping in unison for a while the group walks in place at 60 bpm and passes the hand clap around the circle. Each person is responsible for one hand clap. Practice until the circle can do this perfectly. If one person hesitates or misses, then the next person comes in on time to restore the pattern.

Hemiola

Practice clapping groups of three and then groups of two. Accent the first beat of the group. Practice clapping two groups of three followed by three groups of two. The bpm is constant. When the hands are clapping three or two, the feet synchronize with the accent or the first beat. So the feet keep time with the accents. So six beats that move at the same rate can be perceived differently with the addition of accents that cause groups.

Shifting Accents Improvisation

Establish a beat with the feet alternating in place. The whole group claps softly. Each individual accents a clap at will for a shifting polyrhythmic improvisation.