circles

 

Circles is a diagram I use to study rhythms and polyrhythms with, pursuing a vision that considers them as cycles, circles, a space-time entities always going back to the beginning, modifying theirselves and evolving as an organic matter.

In the diagram, the diameter upward-downward identifies with upbeat-downbeat.
You can read the diagram clockwise, and each time you go back from the upper point of the circle (let’s say “noon”), there is the downbeat.

Each figure drawn in the circle represents an equilateral polygon, which gives a graphic representation of the correspective rhythmical division of the unity.  This unity (the circle) can represent a bar, or even just a beat.

I use this graphic representation to be able to consider the relation between each rhythm and the cycle in which it takes place, such as to observe the similitudes/difference between rhythms.

 

Even though it might seem obvious, I find interesting to note that the more faces the polygon has (equals: the more subdivisions you do of a “one”) the closest you get to the circumference (equals: a continuous sound).
Also, it is interesting to note that from two points of the circumference there’s only one possible line passing. Which means, the most little events that have to happen to define/percieve a constant pulsation, is two pointillistic gestures.

 

 

This version of circle deals with rhythms/polygons from 1 to 12.
I’m curently working on drawing a version including polygons/rhythms from 1 to 16.