Effectiveness levels of polyrhythm learning approaches on piano

Although polyrhythms are extremely difficult to learn and teach, practicing methods have not been studied. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of polyrhythm practice methods on piano through their learning approaches, in relation to task difficulties. Followed by a theoretical study to classify tasks and approaches, an experimental research was conducted on 4 approaches, 2:3, 3:4 polyrhythms and their hand alternations. In a 20 minutes session, 44 right-handed music students (other than piano / percussion majors) of 10-17 ages participated in the experiment. According to results, the approaches? effects vary depending on the tasks, both in terms of polyrhythm patterns and their hand alternations. Also, task difficulties partly depend on the approaches. Thus, difficulties and approaches? effects seem to work in both ways. The difficulty is at maximum in complex pattern?s hand alternation. This indicates a hand domination factor for novice. A broad result regarding higher effectiveness of direct approaches (Motor,Cognitive) might indicate a delay effect of knowledge transfer, in indirect approaches (Coordinational,Vebal). Motor (i.e.Czerny) seems highly effective on right hand-intense tasks, while Cognitive (i.e.Joplin) was most effective on 3:2 alternate-hand task, yet ineffective on complex pattern tasks. Though Motor?s and Cognitive?s effect was faster, others were more stable between tasks and more effective on complex (3:4) polyrhythm. Verbal was the least effective on most tasks, but still comparable in general learning and the best on 3:4, while Coordinational produced only positiveness on 4:3. These differences reveal multi-approache models of Verbal/Coordinational (i.e.Dalcroze, Ta-ke-ti-na), and combined uses of Cognitive (i.e.Ta-ke-ti-na).Key Words: Piano education, polyrhythm, learning, approach, method, kinesthetic, cognitive, analytic, motor skill, bimanual coordination, dominant hand, verbal, two against three, three against four.