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Musical time signatures
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| Domesticated |
The last musical education I had was about 15 years ago and I was extremely resistant to it. Would someone be nice enough to explain time signatures to me?
I've watched several poorly-made videos on YouTube and read up on it a bit. I understand the concept, but when various meters are demonstrated, I have a hard time hearing the difference between them, and I'm not sure how to go about counting when presented with a piece of music.
For example, I watched a video made by a drummer on YouTube. He talks frequently of how playing in 4/4 means four quarter notes per measure. How is it possible for a drummer to play a quarter or half note when their instrument involves a single hit of which the duration cannot be adjusted? |
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| bas |
| quote: | Originally posted by Domesticated
The last musical education I had was about 15 years ago and I was extremely resistant to it. Would someone be nice enough to explain time signatures to me?
I've watched several poorly-made videos on YouTube and read up on it a bit. I understand the concept, but when various meters are demonstrated, I have a hard time hearing the difference between them, and I'm not sure how to go about counting when presented with a piece of music.
For example, I watched a video made by a drummer on YouTube. He talks frequently of how playing in 4/4 means four quarter notes per measure. How is it possible for a drummer to play a quarter or half note when their instrument involves a single hit of which the duration cannot be adjusted? |
It's all in the way music is written and read. You may not hear the difference, especially from a drummer, but the way his music is going to look on paper will differ depending on time signature. |
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| Tasty Onions |
| The length of the note (along with tempo) determines how long he'll wait before playing the next note. Not necessarily the length of the sound itself. |
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| Domesticated |
| quote: | Originally posted by bas
It's all in the way music is written and read. You may not hear the difference, especially from a drummer, but the way his music is going to look on paper will differ depending on time signature. |
I understand that. It's obviously very important for reading music. I want to learn how to listen to a piece of music and determine which signature(s) it uses. |
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| Tasty Onions |
I'm not very good at figuring out time signatures myself.
Can you hear what time signature the Pink Floyd song "Money" is in?
(Don't look it up first.)
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| Acton |
It's actually quite straightforward......... just incredibly hard to explain over a forum :p
I think the best thing would be to try a practical example. Do you have Ableton Live? |
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| Domesticated |
Yes, I have Ableton.
| quote: | Originally posted by Tasty Onions
I'm not very good at figuring out time signatures myself.
Can you hear what time signature the Pink Floyd song "Money" is in?
(Don't look it up first.)
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No, that's what I'm saying. I have no idea how to work out which signature something is in.
With four to the floor dance music, I don't even understand how you can tell it's 4/4 with out looking at a sequencer and seeing exactly how many beats there are in a song. What's to stop you counting 1,2,3,4,5 beats in a row instead of 1,2,3,4 to get the time signature, and surmising that it's 5/4? |
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| Zyklon_Jay |
| Take heroin and read some jazz compositions. |
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| Tasty Onions |
| quote: | Originally posted by Domesticated
With four to the floor dance music, I don't even understand how you can tell it's 4/4 with out looking at a sequencer and seeing exactly how many beats there are in a song. What's to stop you counting 1,2,3,4,5 beats in a row instead of 1,2,3,4 to get the time signature, and surmising that it's 5/4? |
Pay attention to where the melody and drums "loop." It's always on 4 kicks or some multiple of 4, not multiple of 5 or 3 or something. Just count the kicks until it loops. |
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| Domesticated |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tasty Onions
Pay attention to where the melody and drums "loop." It's always on 4 kicks or some multiple of 4, not multiple of 5 or 3 or something. Just count the kicks until it loops. |
Of course. I understand the concept of phrasing with 32 bars, 64 bars et cetera. Even then, how do you know it's not 16/4 or something like that? I've also heard people pick up on more complex/unusual time signatures within seconds. Wiki, for instance, gives a 19/16 example, and the sound sample only lasts for eight seconds.
How would you even begin to make an analysis like this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schism_(song)#Time_signature
| quote: | | "Schism" is renowned for its use of uncommon time signatures and the frequency of its meter changes. In one analysis of the song, the song alters meter 47 times.[4] The song begins with two bars of 5/4, followed by one bar of 4/4, followed by bars of alternating 5/8 and 7/8, until the first interlude, which consists of alternating bars of 6/8 and 7/8. |
What's to stop someone thinking the first three bars are actually in all the same time signature of 9/4? |
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| iclone |
| quote: | Originally posted by Domesticated
For example, I watched a video made by a drummer on YouTube. He talks frequently of how playing in 4/4 means four quarter notes per measure. How is it possible for a drummer to play a quarter or half note when their instrument involves a single hit of which the duration cannot be adjusted? |
the percussionist strikes at the start of each note, regardless of duration, unless indicated to make it a roll. the count/length of note is the same across instruments, even if an actual sound is not emitted by air or reverberation. |
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| Zyklon_Jay |
| listen to tool and dream theater...on heroin. |
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