Rhythmic variation is an important aspect of music that must be present in every great jazz improviser's palate. A great improviser is able to use these variations to shape and modify his/her melodic statements. The material presented in this lesson will provide you with some ways to rhythmically alter a common scale sequence. You can apply these ideas to scales, sequences, arpeggios, or lines. This lesson merely provides an introduction to this concept, so I urge you to further experiment with these ideas on your own.

For this lesson we will be dealing with a pentatonic sequence in the key of A-minor. I have chosen a fairly common sequence to serve as a model throughout this lesson. You will see how the rhythmic permutations affect the sequence. Please note that the pattern will not be altered by any means other than the rhythm. The order of notes in the sequence will remain constant.

The first example shown is the original scale sequence on an A-minor pentatonic scale. Notice how the pattern is a series of 4-note clusters.

This pattern is intended to be played in the 5th position on the fingerboard. Don't be afraid to use your pinky finger.

The first step after learning the pattern is to apply a rhythmic permutation of 3- that is, substitute a quarter note for every third eighth note in the sequence. While every third eighth note becomes a quarter note, the order of notes does not change.

This next example demonstrates a rhythmic permutation of 3. Notice how the pattern is now extended over more measures. This is a great way to extend the length of a line or sequence.

The next step in exploring this concept is to apply a rhythmic permutation of 5. Now we'll play every 5th note in the original eighth-note sequence as quarter note. Just as in example #2, the order of notes does not change to accommodate the rhythm. If the order of notes is changed the sequence will tend to loose momentum.

Example #3 demonstrates a rhythmic permutation of 5.

Now let's apply a rhythmic permutation of 7 to the pentatonic sequence. We will now make every 7th note a quarter note. This pattern compresses the length of the sequence more effectively then the last two examples.

This next example demonstrates a rhythmic permutation of 7.

The last step is to combine all of the rhythmic permutations in a single rendition of sequence. This is where we can get creative with this concept. We will mix permutations of 3, 5, and 7 in this next example. Although this next example will stay in the original key, try experimenting with some side-slipping by shifting the pattern ½ step above or below the original key.

This next example combines all of the rhythmic permutations discussed.

I sincerely hope that you get some good ideas from this lesson. Try to explore as many possibilities as you can when studying this concept or any other concept. Don't be afraid to apply this concept to styles other than jazz. It works great with any style.