Teaching Cross Rhythms - part 1

By Dr. Nancy Allred

Piano Q&A on YouTube: Teaching Cross Rhythms - pt 1

My first experience with cross rhythms was in middle school. My piano teacher, Rowan Taylor, assigned me to learn the Serenade by Schubert, which is a transcription of an art song for voice and piano. The Serenade is a wonderful example of “3 against 2,” with triplets in the RH, and duplet 8ths in the LH. 

I love cross rhythms! They do something to my heart and soul! But, my first experience with the “3 against 2” was also overwhelming, and I didn’t get it right at first. In fact, I had a rough time. There were a lot of tears in the first week or two!

I have compiled a list of tips I learned through that initial experience with cross rhythms. The approach that Professor Taylor used when he taught me is what I call the “listening approach”:

1. Play the example for the student multiple times, over and over.

2. Isolate the measure of the cross rhythm.

3. Isolate the beat of the cross rhythm (beat 1 going into beat 2, etc.).

4. Play each hand alone (HA) over and over.

5. At some point, try to make it “fit.” Be daring! You might have to do some trial and error.

6. Remember that the triplet needs to be even (this is very important)!

7. Do lots of repetition of hands alone (HA).

8. Do lots of repetition of the isolated beat of the cross rhythm

Throughout my teaching career, I began devising various approaches to teaching cross rhythms, especially as not every student responded to the “listening” approach. 

I believe my responsibility as a teacher is to figure out how a student hears music, how they are listening, and what their background has been in listening to music. If I’m trying to teach a student a certain concept and it’s not coming, or they are not “getting it” then I need to come up with another approach in helping them learn. 

In these few segments on “Cross Rhythms,” my goal is to share several approaches to TEACHING CROSS RHYTHMS of 2 against 3, and 3 against 2:

Listening (see above)

Isolating the measure of the cross rhythm, isolating the beat of the cross rhythm, practicing hands alone over and over, making it fit, keeping the triplet even, using a lot of repetition.

Mathematical/theoretical

2 against 3 (2x3=6)

3 against 2 (3x2=6)

Rhythm (counting)

Count 1-2-3-4-5-6

Count 1 - 2& - 3

Rhythm (together – left - right – left)

2 against 3

Rhythm (together – right – left – right)

3 against 2

Rhythm words

Strawberry time

Not difficult

WHO parked the car

George Washington

Nice cup of tea

Cross Rhythms Exercise

2 against 3

3 against 2

For examples of the above, please download files below:

Outline: Teaching those pesky cross rhythms - pt 1

PDF Files:

Cross Rhythms - my notes
Cross Rhythms - sheet
Cross Rhythms - rhythm words
Cross Rhythms Exercise - 2 ag 3
Cross Rhythms Exercise - 3 ag 2

Links to the files are also found under the FILES tab above.

YouTube Channel: Piano Q&A

Teaching Cross Rhythms - pt 1

Teaching Cross Rhythms - pt 2

Teaching Cross Rhythms - pt 3