The use of two percussion instruments playing a rhythmic pattern creates contrast and musical variety. In some cases, a rhythm combining low-pitched and high-pitched percussion instruments can also be perceived as a melodic line with two notes.
Goals
In these exercises, you will practice identifying the number of beats in a bar (measure).
Tips for success
Try to memorize this rhythm by voicing it out loud or clapping it. This will make it easier to determine the number of beats it contains.
Musical examples
Rhythmic pattern with two congas -
Worldwide
Meludia
Rhythmic pattern with two congas tuned at an interval close to an octave.
Rhythmic pattern -
Worldwide
Meludia
Two pitched percussion instruments playing a melodic bassline.
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TrV 176 : Prelude (Sonnenaufgang) -
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan
Classical music
Richard Strauss
The timpani part is built around the interval of a fourth, played in the following order: G, C, G, C, G, C, G, C.
