"Gary" <grday@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:e1320b7e-d6f8-478c-9b30-
>
> I also have a number of other questions related to timing and tempo.
> I bought a set of CDs that comprise a sort of talking metronome.
> I like them, but I do not understand a couple features.
> There are 4 CDs, One of them is obviously for 3/4 time in
> a variety of tempos and another is obviously 4/4 time in a variety
> of tempos. There is also one that goes: 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2, etc.,
> and another that goes 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6, etc. I am wondering
> how a musician would characterize those timings. Also, the first
> several tracks of each CD start with counting that sounds like:
1 2 1 2 is just 2/4 time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 is "supposed" so be 6/8. This is a complex subject, but see
your next line...
>
> 1 ih le 2 ih le 3 ih le 4 ih le 1 ih le 2 ih le 3 ih le 4 ih le, etc.
I've never hear "ih" - we usually say 1 la le (le rhymes with lay) or 1 ta
te (ditto).
2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 are "divided" like:
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and, etc. You usually not only count the beats (1, 2,
etc.) but the "halfway points" (divisions) of the beats (also called
upbeats, offbeats, afterbeats, "ands" and so on).
1 and 2 and 1 and 2 and is 2/4
1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3 and is 3/4 etc.
In meters 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8, the division is groups of 3 rather than
groups
of 2.
So rather than say 1 and and 2 and and, we say 1 la le 2 la le, etc.
1 la le 2 la le is 6 "things", so that's 6/8:
6/8: 1 la le 2 la le 1 la le 2 la le.
9/8: 1 la le 2 la le 3 la le 1 la le 2 la le 3 la le
12/8: 1 la le 2 la le 3 la le 4 la le
So:
2 beat time signature - 2/4 and 6/8
3 beat time signature - 3/4 and 9/8
4 beat time signature - 4/4 and 12/8
The 2,3,4/X ones are divided into twos (1 and) and the 6,9,12/X ones are
divided into threes (1 la le).
>
> I would like to know what is the significance of that type
> of counting.
Many people count 6/8 as 1 2 3 4 5 6 rather than 1 la le 2 la le, so watch
out.
6/8 songs are like "Blow the Man Down", "My Bonnie", "Take me out to the
ball game" etc.
12/8 - "No Particular Place to Go" (Chuck Berry).
There's a little bit of a problem here - sometimes it's hard to tell if
something is 4/4 or 2 measures of 2/4. Likewise, it's difficult to tell
3/4
from 6/8 (2 measures of 3/4 sound like 1 of 6/8).
Additionally, Jazz and Blues music use Swing and Shuffle rhythms, and by
historical acceptance, they are notated as 4/4, but often played as 12/8
(or
an approximation thereof). For example, Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression"
is
in 3/4, but there's a three-group backround heard frequently in the drums,
so it sounds like it could be 9/9 as well.
BY FAR, 3/4 and 4/4 are the most common you'll find (especially 4/4 in
today's pop music) and 6/8 is fairly common. 2/4 (or 2/2 which is a
fractional division bu the same principle) used to be far more common -
Marches are in 2/2 (also called "cut time") and things like "Jingle Bells"
are in 2/2.
>
> Finally, I would be interested to know if there are any good
> music theory texts that might shed light on these kinds of questions.
>
Gary, there are many, but I would STRONGLY urge you to get a teacher. I
used
to teach guitar lessons and the most common student I got was "I've been
trying to teach myself for the last 5 years, blah, blah, blah, and I
bought
this book and this video, and this CD, and I still can't get it", etc.
Dude,
get a teacher! It will save you so much trial and error (mostly error!).
The problem with questions like these is, they come up willy nilly while
you're learning, but really, you should learn things - at least at the
beginning - in a pretty well-established order. Learning from books and
CDs
etc usually tends to ignore this order, and you yourself are likely to
jump
around and skip stuff.
Do yourself a favor and get yourself a teacher, and, then you can address
theory questions together, and discuss things that are appropriate for
your
current level of instruction as well (thus the theory can help reinforce
what you're learning playing-wise, and vice-versa).
Nonetheless, still fee free to ask questions. You just need to find some
way
to tie it all together.
Best,
Steve
|
