Polyrhythms: The Musician's Guide [Paperback]

Peter Magadini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1988 | Series: Polyrhythms (Book 7)

This book has been revised to include both Volumes I and II in one comprehensive edition. It is designed to teach the creative musician and music student the art of playing polyrhythms. These studies are not limited to percussion instruments; they can be applied to any instrument.

Product Details

• Paperback: 68 pages
• Publisher: Drum Center Publications (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793521238
• ISBN-13: 978-0793521234
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,042,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter Magadini
Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, played his first snare drum at age 10 in his Palm Springs Ca. elementary school band.
The family later relocated Los Angeles and then to Phoenix (where he heard Duke Ellington in concert when he was fifteen).
It was then that Peter decided to play drums professionally.
Years later, while attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Peter worked with the George Duke Trio ( which included Al Jarreau on Vocals and John Heard on bass )
After graduation and upon returning to Los Angeles Peter toured with Bobbie Gentry and then became first tour drummer for Diana Ross who had just began her career as a solo artist.
Peter also taught drums during that period at the Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood .
Other artist played for include: blues/jazz legend Mose Allison, Don Ellis big band, Sonny Stitt, Cleanhead Vincent, Jimmy Witherspoon, Barney Kessel, John Handy, Oliver Jones, Susan Chen Trio, Andre White, Joe Sealy Trio, Chet Baker, George Coleman, The Toronto Symphony, Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood and the shows Les Miserables and Ain't Misbehavin' plus recordings and studio work. In addition Peter has several recordings released internationally. These include: The Pete Magadini Quintet "Night Dreamers" on Timeless Records (Holland), the award winning CD "Bones Blues" with Don Menza, Wray Downes and Dave Young - Don Menza-Pete Magadini "Live at Claudio's" both released on Sackville Records & "Polyrhythm" with: George Duke and Don Menza ( cd baby ).
Peter is also the author of several drum, percussion and rhythm books including: "Polyrhythms The Musicians Guide" (voted number six on Modern Drummer Magazine's list of the 25 greatest books ) - Hal Leonard Publishing and has a variety of clips on "You Tube" under his own name. He also and holds degrees from both the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (BM) and the University of Toronto (MM),
included among his teachers are: drummers Don Bothwell and Roy Burns (he studied with Roy in NYC ), N.Y. Philharmonic timpanist, Roland Kohloff and North Indian tabla master Mahapurush Misra.

In addition to his own private teaching Peter has taught drums at Concordia University and McGill University in Montreal.
*
Peter Magadini currently resides in Marin County, California ( just north of San Francisco ) and endorses and plays: *Yamaha drums * Vic Firth drumsticks * Aquarian drumheads and *Paiste Cymbals.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Peter M. has the idea, but the execution is a little lacking, April 21, 2006

By 

Michael E. Gindi - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polyrhythms - The Musician's Guide (Paperback)

The author has the idea of polyrhythms right, and he explains it very well, and gives great audio examples. He also has right the idea of how to thoroughly teach polyrhythmic abilities, and enhance rhythmic dexterity. The book is lacking, however, when it comes to practice exercises. While the instructions say practice these exercises at all tempos, the accompanying CD has them only at one tempo per exercise (which is, surprise, close to the easiest tempo for that particular exercise)... of course, you're expected to do different tempos on your own, but since you're counting two rhythms at once, it is very difficult to objectively hear each of them, to know if you're not "cheating" one to make it fit into the correct rhythmic space provided by the other.

The book provides the musician with some great new ways to think about rhythm. The problem is that the book advances too quickly to some really difficult stuff. If you sit with it for hours, and practice on your own (drumming on a desk, as I have done), you can ascend its steep slope and help your rhythmic abilities. (In the end, I didn't get very far along in the book). This takes a hell of a lot of patience, discipline, and work, and It would've been much easier if there were more exercises, which slowly increased in difficulty, rather than the few exercises which demand a leap in difficulty from one to the next.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practice Required, January 2, 2008

By 

James Erickson - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Polyrhythms - The Musician's Guide (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful tool for those who are serious about musicianship. However, unlike most books which spend their lengthy breadth trying to lead you along "12 stupid-simple steps," this book spends its pages with application. You will not get anything from this book if you just want to read about polyrhythms. This book is for those who want specific practice on the subject, and "Polyrhythms: A Musician's Guide" does that very well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's it really the "best book.", February 14, 2011

By 

captainron - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polyrhythms - The Musician's Guide (Paperback)

Polyrhythms are a complex subject and this book is listed in Modern Drummer magazine as "by far the best book on the subject." Is it really?

This is NOT one of my favorite books. I think the topic is presented in a "dry" manner and lacks a creative presentation. My Problem is that I don't know much about Polyrhythms to offer an alternative way to present it. I do know what type of styles that I learn from in books and this is not it.

It's not that the topic is hard to understand or extremely complicated. It is challenging but that is something I look for when purchasing a book.

I think I have an issue with the "best book" annotation on the back cover.

So here is my advice: Find a copy of this book before you buy it and look through it. If you can't find it at least click on the review and look at some of the pages. This book is defiantly not for all drummers but I can't say who would benefit and who would not. Normally, I could do that with other books that I have reviewed, but not this one.

The only way to know If this book is right for you is to do some research on the topic of Polyrhythms and click on the book review and look at a few of the pages. I did not do that and I may not have purchased this book if I had.