Metronome

RicksPick
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Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:45 am

I have a software metronome

But unsure about beats per min, lots of latin? names i.e Grave = 40 bpm,
Prestissimo = 208.

but how does this translate to 4/4 time etc

Awaiting with anticipation

Many thanks

RicksPick


rcsnydley
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Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:25 am

The setting on the metronome, i.e. 40 bpm or 208 bpm, has to do with how fast the song is played, 40 beats per minute, 208, 120, etc.
3/4, 4/4, etc. has to do with counting the rhythm of the song. The top number gives you the beats per measure. The bottom number tells you which notes gets one beat, i.e. 3/4 has 3 beats per measure with the quarter note getting one beat, 4/4 has 4 beats per measure with the quarter note getting one beat, 6/8 has 6 beats per measure with the eighth note getting one beat and so forth.
So to sum it up, metronome tells how fast to play, time signature gives the rhythm.


Chasplaya
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Sat Apr 04, 2009 3:33 pm

I believe 'rc' has answered this pretty well, I admit this confused me when I started out too, I was given this useful chart from my guitar teacher at the time which helped a bit about when reading some tab charts which didn't detail the tempo:

Largo = 40 - 60 Moderato = 108 - 120
Larghetto = 60 - 66 Allegro = 120 - 168
Adagio = 66 - 76 Presto = 168 - 200
Andante = 76 - 108 Prestissimo = 200 - 208.

Sometimes on standard notation all you get is the Latin description also.


RicksPick
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:23 am

Thanks for the reply's

So if a tune is in 4/4 time how many beats per min?

Sorry if I'm not getting it

Thanks
Please help

RicksPick


richardk
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:58 am

It's usually measured in quarter-notes. So there are four metronome beats per 4/4 measure. In notation, there's often a small quarter-note (or eighth or sth else) next to the bpm number (e. g. "quarter-note" = 108). 4/4 itself doesn't tell you anything about the tempo, as others have pointed out.


rcsnydley
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Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:56 am

Richard is right, 4/4 doesn't tell you anything about the tempo, it tells you about the rhythm. 4 beats per measure with a quarter note getting one beat. You can use 8th notes in the measure, for 4/4 time with all 8th notes there would be 8 of them per measure.
The metronome setting, ie. 120 beats per minute tells you how fast to play the quarter notes or eight notes, etc. Let's say you had a 3 minute song composed of all quarter notes that was at 120bpm. For each measure there would be 4 quarter notes and you would play it fast enough to be able to play 120 of those quarter notes for each minuter of the song. There would be a total of 360 quarter notes in the 3 min. song and 90 total measures. BTW, if you had all 8th notes and the tempo was quarter note = 120bpm you would play fast enough to play 240 8th in a minute. Songs are usually a combination of note durations, that what gives them their rhythm.
I hope this helps some in clearing up the idea of timing. I have played for years and tried to ignore timing, bad mistake. So, it is very important to get a good understanding of how it all works. It will make it easier to understand the music and to play with others and in the long run make you a better musician. So make sure you understand this, if not please continue to ask questions about it.

Keep Playing
Ric


RicksPick
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Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:42 am

Thanks for the reply's
Think im getting it?
The technical explanations are brill

Im playing/learning Tears in Heaven which BPM would i set that to the TAB has 4/4 after staff
Do I tap tune out with my foot and set metronome to it
Or Do I just set metronome on slow and just play to it

And then up the speed?

Sorry if I am going round in circles

RicksPick


rcsnydley
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Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:12 am

If you are just learning the song it may be advisable to set the metronome on a slower speed. Play the song until you feel comfortable and can play it error free, then speed it up. You may want to establish the speed at which you would like to ultimately play the song and work towards that.
IMHO, it is easier and takes less time and effort to learn a new idea (song, scale, solo, etc.) if you start out slow and increase your speed as you master it at the slower speeds.

Keep Playing
Ric


Chasplaya
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Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:27 pm

RicksPick wrote:

Im playing/learning Tears in Heaven which BPM would i set that to the TAB has 4/4 after staff
Do I tap tune out with my foot and set metronome to it
Or Do I just set metronome on slow and just play to it

And then up the speed?

Sorry if I am going round in circles

RicksPick
Don't be sorry, you need to ask questions, the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. I agree with Ric start out slow with any tune, don't get too hung up about tempo just try to get the right beat ie thats the 4/4 stuff already explained. Anyway 'Tears In Heaven' is around 80bpm I'd start around 60bpm with this if I were you.


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