R&L Ch. 12—Linear Cross Rhythms
Skeleton sheet. This chapter has the metadata block and Core / Rotation / Reference tables but has not yet been rewritten to the shape of chapter-01.md and chapter-02.md—no first-session walkthrough, no worked advancement example, no per-exercise rationale. See chapter-template.md for the shape this sheet will take when filled, and DEVELOPMENT.md “Things to do later” for the outstanding propagation work.
- Stage: 5 (Applications)
- Book pages: R&L pp. 54–68
- Total exercises: ~150 across many labelled sub-sections (see below)
- Section labels present: none at the chapter level—the chapter is organised into named sub-sections
Session role: focus block.
Every session opens with warm-up on the current R&L Ch. 1 exercises before you work this chapter. Baseline 30-min session: ~7–8 min warm-up (Ch. 1) → ~15 min focus (this chapter) → ~5–6 min application → ~2 min cool-down. Full detail in approach.md §6.
How to use this sheet
This is a survey chapter. Stage 5 (approach.md §5) puts it here as an application. The goal is exposure to the linear-cross concept—a state where no two limbs strike at the same time, arranged into odd groupings that do not line up with the underlying pulse—rather than mastery of every grouping.
R&L introduces the linear concept plainly: none of your limbs hit at the same time. Cross-rhythms are usually odd note groupings (3, 5, 6, 7, 9) played repetitively so they do not coincide with the downbeats of even-note groupings; even-note cross-rhythms are possible too (see Triplet 4s further into the chapter). All the fills here use linear cross-rhythms. R&L encourages orchestrating the hands between snare and toms; playing one hand on a tom sounds particularly good.
Do not try to work every exercise. Pick one sub-section per session, sit with a couple of exercises inside it, and move on. Rotate sub-sections across sessions.
The bpm defaults come from the 16th-note beats row of approach.md §4 (start 50 bpm, target ~110 bpm) for the 16th-based groupings, and the triplet-material row (start 40 bpm, target ~110 bpm) for the triplet-based sub-sections. Because the placement is odd-against-even, the real starting bpm will often be lower.
The sub-sections of this chapter
Work them in book order, but do not treat the list as a checklist. One sub-section at a time.
- 3/16 Grouping Warm-Ups—16 short warm-ups that establish the 3-against-4 feel. R&L says: practise the grouping warm-ups first, before applying them in one- or two-bar phrases. Suggested subset: 1 and 5 as core; the rest as rotation.
- Three-Note Rhythms—16 fills built on the 3-note cross-rhythm. R&L notes that a three-note linear cross-rhythm can be three 16ths or any rhythm that fits into the space of three notes. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- 5/16 Grouping Warm-Ups—15 warm-ups on the 5-against-4 feel. Suggested subset: 1 and 7.
- Five-Note Linear Cross Rhythms—14 fills on the 5-note grouping. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- 6/16 Grouping Warm-Ups—14 warm-ups on 6-note groupings. Suggested subset: 1 and 9.
- Six-Note Linear Cross Rhythms—14 fills on the 6-note grouping. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- 7/16 Grouping Warm-Ups—14 warm-ups on 7-note groupings. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- Seven-Note Linear Cross Rhythms—14 fills on the 7-note grouping. Suggested subset: 1 and 3.
- 9/16 Grouping Warm-Ups—15 warm-ups on 9-note groupings. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- Nine-Note Linear Cross-Rhythms—15 fills on the 9-note grouping. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- Four-Note-Triplet Linear Cross-Rhythms—12 fills on 4-note groupings inside a triplet feel. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- Five-Note-Triplet Linear Cross Rhythms—9 fills on 5-note-in-triplet groupings. Suggested subset: 1 and 5.
- Seven-Note-Triplet Linear Cross-Rhythms—8 fills on 7-note-in-triplet groupings. Suggested subset: 1 and 3.
Practice notes
- The chapter is a survey. If a sub-section feels stuck, move to a different odd grouping rather than grinding—the point is exposure to the pattern of odd-against-even, not mastery of one exercise.
- R&L is explicit that some linear cross-rhythms include a printed sticking as a suggestion; you are free to come up with your own. Try the printed sticking first, then adapt.
- The bass drum rhythms can all be played in unison with the hands on cymbals. R&L notes that the result is no longer strictly linear but is still a cross-rhythm and sounds good—a legitimate variant to try.
- Practise the grouping warm-ups before the fills in a given sub-section. R&L calls this out explicitly for the 3/16 warm-ups but it applies across the chapter.
Log this chapter’s work with the exercise number prefixed by 12. and the sub-section named—for example 12.3/16-warm-ups.1 60 bpm 15 min pass odd-feel. The sub-section is what disambiguates the exercise numbers, since numbering restarts at 1 in each sub-section. See approach.md §8.