In this column, I’d like to present some specific, intricate rhythmic ideas, as presented in a composition of mine called “Fortress” (hear it below), featured on my latest...
In this column, I’d like to present some specific, intricate rhythmic ideas, as presented in a composition of mine called “Fortress” (hear it below), featured on my latest release, Era. I wrote this piece while living in Northern Ireland, and it’s very much inspired by the music of that country, as well as its landscape and people, and the political climate that was present there in the Seventies.
“Fortress” is essentially a slow Celtic ballad in 6/8 meter, with a waltz-like vibe. Underneath the fingerpicked chordal and melodic elements is a “kick drum” pattern that I perform by slapping my pick-hand palm against the face of the guitar. The percussive pattern of this palm accent is a bit odd, as, in isolation, it’s played in a rhythm of 7/8, while the fingerpicked pattern is performed in a 6/8 meter. The odd juxtaposition of rhythms is intended to compositionally imply an air of unrest, akin to that for which the region is known.
Let’s first address the melodic elements of the piece. First, my guitar is once again in DADGAD tuning (low to high, D A D G A D), and I’m using a capo at the fourth fret. All notes and chords sound two whole steps higher than written, with the instrument thought of in “transposing” terms, meaning that while the open sixth string actually sounds a concert-pitch F# note, we will think of it as D, as if we weren’t using a capo.
The most effective way to learn this part is to first focus on the strict single-note melody, and then bring in the lower notes that serve to indicate the harmony, or chordal references. Unlike some of my other compositions that incorporate the use of polyrhythms that eventually sync up, that’s