Is there a name for a 3-3-2-2-2 rhythm?
I have a 12/8 rhythm that has beats on the x's below:
1 + + 2 + + 3 + + 4 + +
x x x x x
I vaguely remember hearing a name for this years ago. Is it some kind of clave? Is there a name for it?
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This is an example of hemiola
From the Oxford Companion to Music (2nd ed., Alison Latham, 2002)
Hemiola: In modern notation, a hemiola occurs when two bars in triple meter (e.g., 3/2) are performed as if they were notated as three bars in duple meter (6/4) and vice versa.
The Wikipedia entry linked above goes on to say that when the 3:2 ratio occurs simultaneously -- that is, one part is in three while another is in two -- the term is sesquialtera. However, the term does not appear in the OCM.
There are several rhythms that use the 3-3-2-2-2 pulse in flamenco music from Spain. One of the most well known is Bulerías, a seemingly simple but very complex sounding rhythm made even more complex by the fact that they count starting on 12 instead of 1 So the basic accents fall on:
12..3..6.8.10.
An often used variation is:
12..3....78.10.
This gives the 3-3-2-2-2 pulse you are asking about.
In other styles that emulate a Spanish flavor, some of the most well known occurrences of this is “America” from “West Side Story” and the main theme from “Man of La Mancha”. I have played the latter show and this rhythm is used in a few songs in the score of that show. In La Mancha they wrote it as alternating bars of 6/8 and 3/4 but in America I believe they just wrote it in 6/8 with every other bar having the accents on beats 1, 3 and 5.
Someone with a more detailed knowledge of Flamenco music and dance can likely give you names of other rhythms that use this basic count such as Soleares, Alegrias and Peteneras (kudos @jsantander ) but hopefully this will at least point you in the right direction.
Colloquially it's often described as 'that rhythm from 'America' (West Side Story).
Your rhythm is reminiscent of Arabic rhythms, which of course are an influence on Flamenco music. Check this out: www.maqamworld.com/en/iqaa/warshan_arabi.php
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