Members JCHCJams Posted July 19, 2002 Members Share Posted July 19, 2002 can someone explain time signatures to me a little? got a book or something I could read? Peace,SLushie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 20, 2002 Members Share Posted July 20, 2002 Basically, time signatures tell us how many beats are in a bar, and the length of those beats. For instance 3/4 tells us there are 3 quarter notes (that's where the 4 comes from) per single bar. However I'm not really sure what you want explained. Ask and ye shall receive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted July 20, 2002 Members Share Posted July 20, 2002 The top number tells: How many beats per measure. The bottom number tells: What note gets the beat. If we're in 6/8 time, there are six beats per measure, and the eighth note gets the beat.( Do not assume the quarter note alway gets the beat.) If the bottom number is 4, quarter note gets the beat.8-eigth note gets the beat.16- sixteenth note gets the beat. 95% of music is written in a simple type meter; say 4/4 or 3/4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Six String Stuntman Steve Posted July 21, 2002 Members Share Posted July 21, 2002 That tab could be in many time sigs...but the most obvious would be 3/4 or 6/8. Fingerpicker, I conpletely understand the concept and usage of time sigs....but you explanation is a wee bit difficult to understand. I was just curious about the true technical explanation behind it all. -Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayrockin1 Posted July 21, 2002 Members Share Posted July 21, 2002 If you're asking what different time signatures sound/feel like - 4/4 - an average rock, pop, or disco beat. ONE, two, three, four. 2/4 - sounds like 'I Want You To Want Me' by Cheap Trick or "Down At The Twist And Shout' by Mary Chapin Carpenter. ONE, two, ONE, two. 3/4 - sounds like a waltz or some slow gospel songs. 'The Man On The Flying Trapeze', ' Memories' from Cats, or 'You Must Not Be Drinking Enough' from Don Henley. ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three. 6/8 - sounds like a jig. 'The Irish Washerwoman', 'The Mexican Hat Dance'. ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kachana Posted July 21, 2002 Members Share Posted July 21, 2002 Originally posted by JCHCJams can someone explain time signatures to me a little?got a book or something I could read?Peace,SLushie time sigs have a top and bottom number (e.g. 4/4; 12/8). The bottom number represents a type of note. For instance, a quater note/8th note (also known as crotchets/quavers). If you don't know what these are, do a web search, there will be loads of explanations. The top number represents how many of the bottom notes there are in a bar/measure/repetition. Thus, 4/4 means that there are 4 quarter notes per bar (you would count '1 2 3 4/ 1 2 3 4') most songs are in this time sig. Common time sigs are 4/4, 2/4, 3/4, 6/8 and 12/8 More odd ones are 5/4, 7/8, 9/8 and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 22, 2002 Members Share Posted July 22, 2002 Originally posted by Six String Stuntman Steve Fingerpicker, I conpletely understand the concept and usage of time sigs....but you explanation is a wee bit difficult to understand. I was just curious about the true technical explanation behind it all.-Nigel I think what Fingerpicker is getting at is this: In Time Sigs of the type x/4, we count 1, 2, 3, 4.In TIme Sigs of the type x/8, we count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.In Time Sigs of the type x/16, we count 1, 2, 3, 4, ...., 15, 16. After that, then we have to look at which beats get the accent. For instance in 4/4, the strong accent is on 1, the medium accent is on 3, and no accents on 2 and 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevenroy Posted July 22, 2002 Members Share Posted July 22, 2002 Originally posted by Anomandaris I think what Fingerpicker is getting at is this:In Time Sigs of the type x/4, we count 1, 2, 3, 4.In TIme Sigs of the type x/8, we count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.In Time Sigs of the type x/16, we count 1, 2, 3, 4, ...., 15, 16.After that, then we have to look at which beats get the accent. For instance in 4/4, the strong accent is on 1, the medium accent is on 3, and no accents on 2 and 4. Actually, it's just the opposite of this. 4/x means 1 2 3 45/x means 1 2 3 4 5 8/x means 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The bottom number, like what was said before, tells what note gets the count.x/1 means a whole notex/2 is a half notex/4 is a quarter notex/8 is an eighth notex/16 is a sixteenth note Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AS200 Posted July 23, 2002 Members Share Posted July 23, 2002 A very useful trick to getting into the groove of different time-sigs is to repeat a word with equal amount of "beats" corresponding to the desired time-signature until you get it under your skin. E.G."Stra-to-cas-ter, Strat-o-cas-ter, Stra-to-cas-ter, Stra-to-cas-ter" Is your average 4/4 time-signature. Quiz:"'har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral". Which time-signature do you think that is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 23, 2002 Members Share Posted July 23, 2002 Originally posted by sevenroy Actually, it's just the opposite of this. 4/x means 1 2 3 45/x means 1 2 3 4 5 8/x means 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Yup. My apologies for my error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tumababa Posted July 23, 2002 Members Share Posted July 23, 2002 Originally posted by AS200 A very useful trick to getting into the groove of different time-sigs is to repeat a word with equal amount of "beats" corresponding to the desired time-signature until you get it under your skin.E.G."Stra-to-cas-ter, Strat-o-cas-ter, Stra-to-cas-ter, Stra-to-cas-ter" Is your average 4/4 time-signature.Quiz:"'har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral, har-mo-ny-cen-tral".Which time-signature do you think that is? It's five!!!!! I find for fives hip-po-pot-a-mus works great. Either that or u-ni-ver-si-ty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JCHCJams Posted July 26, 2002 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2002 so on 5/4 would the last beats go closer together? like: hip--po--pot-a-mus One, Two, ThreFourFive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 27, 2002 Members Share Posted July 27, 2002 No. In any time signature, the 'beats' are always evenly spaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevenroy Posted July 27, 2002 Members Share Posted July 27, 2002 One good way to look at time signatures is to split them up into parts of 2 and 3. For example, look at 4/4 as one-two-one-two.or 6/4 as one-two-three-one-two-three So what do you think you'd do for 5/4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 28, 2002 Members Share Posted July 28, 2002 Originally posted by sevenroy One good way to look at time signatures is to split them up into parts of 2 and 3.For example, look at 4/4 as one-two-one-two.or 6/4 as one-two-three-one-two-threeSo what do you think you'd do for 5/4? Technically, that's incorrect. If 4/4 was one-two-one-two, then it would just be 2/4. 4/4 has the strong accent on the first beat, and a slightly weaker accent on the third beat. 6/4 follows a similar pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zuul777 Posted July 28, 2002 Members Share Posted July 28, 2002 Originally posted by JCHCJams so on 5/4 would the last beats go closer together?like:hip--po--pot-a-musOne, Two, ThreFourFive download "Take Five" by Dave Brubek (or Brubec?) awesome jazz song in 5/4 time sig. really sounds cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 28, 2002 Members Share Posted July 28, 2002 Originally posted by zuul777 download "Take Five" by Dave Brubek (or Brubec?)awesome jazz song in 5/4 time sig. really sounds cool I think it's Brubeck. But yeah, great song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevenroy Posted July 28, 2002 Members Share Posted July 28, 2002 Originally posted by Anomandaris Technically, that's incorrect. If 4/4 was one-two-one-two, then it would just be 2/4. 4/4 has the strong accent on the first beat, and a slightly weaker accent on the third beat. 6/4 follows a similar pattern. I agree with you, but if you look at the basic rythym, not worrying about the emphases, it is 1 2 1 2. Also, the first beat doesn't always have to be the strongest. It's the basic guidline, but it's not really a rule. You could make 2 the strong beat, or even 1 and 4. I love syncopation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 29, 2002 Members Share Posted July 29, 2002 Originally posted by sevenroy I agree with you, but if you look at the basic rythym, not worrying about the emphases, it is 1 2 1 2. Yea, I suppose so. But only if you don't distinguish between the two accents, just note that they are there. However, I still think that this is a falsehood many people believe, because of the dominance of rock music in Western culture. Also, the first beat doesn't always have to be the strongest. It's the basic guidline, but it's not really a rule. You could make 2 the strong beat, or even 1 and 4. True. But when you talk about syncopation, you are disturbing the 'purity' of the time signature. 4/4 in its natural form does not have a strong beat on 2. You need to alter it with something else. But yea, syncopation is an awesome thing to use. And most underused as well, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lumina Posted July 29, 2002 Members Share Posted July 29, 2002 Originally posted by JCHCJams so on 5/4 would the last beats go closer together? like: hip--po--pot-a-mus One, Two, ThreFourFive Actually, if you are doing it this way, it is really in 7/8 (or 7/4 i can never figure out which one is which) I say this because hip and po are gettin 2 beats while pot a mus are each getting 1 beat hi po pot a mus 1-2-1-2-1- 1 -1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JCHCJams Posted July 30, 2002 Author Members Share Posted July 30, 2002 OK I get the basics of top number is the number of beats, bottom number is what is considered a beat. But with no organized music instruction, it's difficult for me to apply anything other than 4/4. So i think i need a Drum instruction book with a cd....or a teacher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevenroy Posted July 30, 2002 Members Share Posted July 30, 2002 It is pretty difficult to grasp. It does take studying and/or a teacher to teach it to you, I'll agree. Take your time and good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JCHCJams Posted August 2, 2002 Author Members Share Posted August 2, 2002 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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