# Rhythm in the hands

Interactive version: [`rhythm-hands.html`](rhythm-hands.html).

From the Rhythm room: [Off the beat](/rhythm/off-the-beat.html), [Groups of 3 and 2](/rhythm/groups.html), [Two at once](/rhythm/two-at-once.html).

Two things the left hand does that have nothing to do with the tune. First, it plays a **pattern**: the same short rhythm over each chord, the way a Latin pianist or a bass player does. Second, it plays **against** the right hand: three notes against two, four against three, five against four. Both are [Independence](independence.md) with the rhythm turned up.

Every exercise has three buttons on the web page: left hand, right hand, both. Learn the left hand alone, then the right hand alone, then both. Start at 50. All of it is in C over C, G, Am, F. Clap each pattern on your knees and say the count before you play it.

## A pattern in the left hand

In steps 1 to 4 the right hand holds one note per bar (E, D, E, F) and never restarts it. The left hand plays the root of each chord (C, G, A, F) in the pattern.

### 1 · Charleston

Two hits: beat 1 and the & of 2. Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" and play the 1 and the second &.

### 2 · Tresillo, 3-3-2

Three hits: beat 1, the & of 2 and beat 4. The gaps are 3, 3 and 2 eighth notes. Say "1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2" and play on each 1.

### 3 · Habanera

The tresillo with one extra hit on beat 3. Four hits: 1, the & of 2, 3 and 4.

### 4 · Cinquillo

Five hits: 1, 2, the & of 2, the & of 3 and 4. The pair on 2 and the & of 2 sits close together, so keep them light and even.

## Both hands on a pattern

### 5 · Bossa nova, the right hand plays the clave

A two-bar pattern. The left hand plays the root on beat 1 and the fifth on beat 3, every bar. The right hand plays a short chord on the clave: bar one on 1, the & of 2 and 4, bar two on 2 and the & of 3. Two bars of C, then two of G.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C on 1, G on 3 | chord on 1, the & of 2 and 4 |
| 2 | C | C on 1, G on 3 | chord on 2 and the & of 3 |
| 3 | G | G on 1, D on 3 | chord on 1, the & of 2 and 4 |
| 4 | G | G on 1, D on 3 | chord on 2 and the & of 3 |

## Against each other

### 6 · Three against two

Each bar is two beats. The left hand plays two even notes; the right hand plays three even notes in the same time. Say "nice cup of tea": the right hand plays nice, cup and tea, the left hand plays nice and of.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C, 2 even quarter notes | C E G (3 even notes) |
| 2 | G | G, 2 even quarter notes | B D G (3 even notes) |
| 3 | Am | A, 2 even quarter notes | C E A (3 even notes) |
| 4 | F | F, 2 even quarter notes | C F A (3 even notes) |

### 7 · Four against three

Each bar is three beats. The left hand plays three even notes; the right hand plays four. Say "pass the god-damn but-ter": the right hand plays pass, the, damn and ter; the left hand plays pass, god and but.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C, 3 even quarter notes | C E G C (4 even notes) |
| 2 | G | G, 3 even quarter notes | B D G B (4 even notes) |
| 3 | Am | A, 3 even quarter notes | C E A C (4 even notes) |
| 4 | F | F, 3 even quarter notes | C F A C (4 even notes) |

### 8 · Five against four

Each bar is four beats. The left hand plays four quarter notes; the right hand plays five even notes across them. Say "I'm looking for a home to buy". Slow, slower, then slow again.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C, 4 even quarter notes | C E G C G (5 even notes) |
| 2 | G | G, 4 even quarter notes | B D G B G (5 even notes) |
| 3 | Am | A, 4 even quarter notes | C E A C A (5 even notes) |
| 4 | F | F, 4 even quarter notes | C F A C A (5 even notes) |

## Ready when

- You can play the cinquillo in the left hand for four bars, with the right hand holding a note that never restarts.
- You can play the bossa pattern for four bars at 70 without looking at the table.
- You can play three against two for a minute at 50 without saying the sentence out loud, then swap the hands.

These patterns have other homes too: [Bass · Tresillo and clave](/bass/latin.md), [Drums · Timelines](/drums/timelines.md), [Drums · Two at once](/drums/polyrhythm.md) and [Guitar · Bossa nova and Latin comping](/guitar/latin.md).