Learning To Count I & II

[tacticaltal]

http://www.totallyguitars.com/target-so ... .html#song Part 2

OK, I've gone through this several times, and I'm having trouble defining a Beat. I know this sounds silly, but I can't put my finger on what the heck a beat is, or where it is in a particular Time Signature.

In 4/4, for example, I know (think???) that we count 1 2 3 4, with the stress on the 1; so, 1 2 3 4. In 3/4 time, it would be 1 2 3 4. Is that right?

Well, does 1 NOTE (or the stress) equal 1 BEAT? Where is the beat? Is it on the stressed note, so that we say in 2/4 time the beat is on the 1st & 2nd note?

I think I'm understanding that the top number is the number of beats in a measure, and the bottom number is the type of note (1/4, 1/2, etc.) we're playing.

music is expanded into groups of beats

every kind of note takes up a certain number of beats

The above two quotes, from Neil, haven't sunk into my brain yet. :ohmy:

[willem]

tacticaltal wrote:

http://www.totallyguitars.com/target-so ... .html#song Part 2

OK, I've gone through this several times, and I'm having trouble defining a Beat. I know this sounds silly, but I can't put my finger on what the heck a beat is, or where it is in a particular Time Signature.

In 4/4, for example, I know (think???) that we count 1 2 3 4, with the stress on the 1; so, 1 2 3 4. In 3/4 time, it would be 1 2 3 4. Is that right?

Well, does 1 NOTE (or the stress) equal 1 BEAT? Where is the beat? Is it on the stressed note, so that we say in 2/4 time the beat is on the 1st & 2nd note?

I think I'm understanding that the top number is the number of beats in a measure, and the bottom number is the type of note (1/4, 1/2, etc.) we're playing.

music is expanded into groups of beats

every kind of note takes up a certain number of beats

The above two quotes, from Neil, haven't sunk into my brain yet. :ohmy:

Man Terry,,you make it difficult...4/4 time signature means 4 beats in a measer(do you know what a measer is?) and one beat equals 1/4 note (a quarter note),,we can split a quarter note in two 1/8 notes but I don't want to go there yet..but in one measer we could have 8 1/8 notes right,, 4 x 2= 8..you must see the quarters has the leading notes and the ,,on the beat notes,, 1-2-3-4 with a accent(you call it stressed note) on 1 and 3,on 3 it is a lighter accent then on 1..

Now for 3/4 time it is just 1-2-3 beats(no 4 beat),,its like a wals and just 1 accent on 1 !!

Willem

ps,,It could be simpler explaint to you with a video but I can't speak clear Englisch to you,,but I know someone who can!!

[willem]

Hmmmm......don't mix up beats and accents....for now, forget about the accents.

A beat is like a pulse, it can last short, long and everything in between. Snap between your fingers in a certain tempo, those are all beats. Double the tempo, those are all beats.

As for timesignatures, it tells you how many of what kind of note is in a measure, it tells you what kind of note to count in numbers (what kind of note gets one beat) 1 2 3 and so on. I think you do get that.

As for the second quote, some notes take 1 beat, others 2 beats or more and so on. Play any note and let it ring for four beats. So this particular note equals four beats. A note ain't the same as a beat.

3/4 is simply 123123123123 and so on..

6/8 is 123456 123456 and so on...

Also in 4/4, you have four beats. Double the tempo of the beats and you'll have eight beats, double that and you have sixteen beats, all in that same measure and same timesignature.

Alright, i typed and deleted a whole bunch here.....watch Neil!......i definitely can't explain it any better than he does.....and certinly not in typing... :blink: :S

[dennisg]

I'm willing to bet that you know more about beats and time signatures than you think you do -- at least on an unconscious level. For example, when you're driving around in your car with the stereo blasting a great song, you probably tap your fingers against the steering wheel. Your brain has automatically deciphered the time signature of the song without you even being aware of it, and it tells you how often to tap your fingers against the steering wheel. Each of those taps is a beat. In order for you to do that correctly, no one had to tell you that the time signature of the song is 4/4. No one had to tell you how many beats per measure there are in the song. No one had to tell you about accents. Your brain magically knows these things. It's only when we try to intellectualize it on a conscious level that the whole process ceases to be automatic.

The next time you're in the car listening to music and drumming your fingers, just know that every tap is a beat. And, if you're like everyone else, the more you think about it, the more uncoordinated your tapping will get.

[willem]

dennisg wrote:

I'm willing to bet that you know more about beats and time signatures than you think you do -- at least on an unconscious level. For example, when you're driving around in your car with the stereo blasting a great song, you probably tap your fingers against the steering wheel. Your brain has automatically deciphered the time signature of the song without you even being aware of it, and it tells you how often to tap your fingers against the steering wheel. Each of those taps is a beat. In order for you to do that correctly, no one had to tell you that the time signature of the song is 4/4. No one had to tell you how many beats per measure there are in the song. No one had to tell you about accents. Your brain magically knows these things. It's only when we try to intellectualize it on a conscious level that the whole process ceases to be automatic.

The next time you're in the car listening to music and drumming your fingers, just know that every tap is a beat. And, if you're like everyone else, the more you think about it, the more uncoordinated your tapping will get.

Is there a drummer in you Dennis?? :laugh: B)

[michelew]

Terry,

Just in case you haven't seen it yet, Neil has some great info n counting in the news.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/145 ... -2012.html

Enjoy.

Be a sponge. B)

Shel